When Avatars Clash
by Darkest Nightmare's Dread
Summary: It's finally the end of the 100 Year War between the Nations, and Aang plans to celebrate it by proposing to Katara. But when a mysterious person appears, possessing Avatarian bending abilities, their wedding may be put on hold. Who is this stranger, and why is he so intent on meeting Toph? Rated M for Language. Lemon in later chapters. Changes made to fit the story better.
1. The Lovers' Desire

**The Lovers' Desire.**

A tired young Airbender monk looked around his room in the Jasmine Dragon. They were simple and spacious, just the way he liked them. There was one other person, laying in the other bed in the room. He muttered, "Oh Suki . . . . . . . You're so tight!"

"Sokka. What a stud, always thinking of his girlfriend. ", our hero sighed. As he lay in his bed, waiting for sleep to overtake him, he couldn't stop thinking about a very special person, a Waterbender who had stolen his heart, and had never given it back. Who is this Airbending monk, you ask? He is none other than Avatar Aang, thinking about his girlfriend, Katara. He had fallen for her when she freed him from the iceberg. However, since he had never been taught how to talk to girls (Too much training), it took him nearly half a year to tell Katara of his love. "I wonder if she loves me . . . . . . . "the young Airbender mused as he fell at last to the overwhelming feeling of sleep.

Meanwhile, in the next room over, Katara, a girl from the South Pole, lay in her bed and muttered, "Does Aang love me?"

"Of course he does, sugar queen," a girl muttered from the next bed over.

"What do you mean, Toph?" Katara asked. "You know what I mean," the blind Earthbender said.

"I may be blind, but I can feel vibrations in the ground given off by people, and let me tell you, Twinkletoes gives off a totally different vibe when you're around. Then again, I've noticed you giving off the same vibes around him, along with when I hear you moaning his name late at night, and there's a funny smell in the air."

"Uh . . . . . . what smell?", Katara nervously chuckled, hoping that her embarrassment wouldn't be noticed.

"You masturbate, don't you Katara?", Toph asked, with a naughty smile on her face.

The Waterbending Master was silent for a moment, then hesitantly replied, "Yes, I do."

"You love him, don't you, Katara?", Toph asked.

"You KNEW?", Katara squeaked.

"Of course I did, Sugar Queen. I may be blind, but I could sense you two awfully close together."

"Yeah," Katara admitted. "I do love him. I want to marry him too, but I just don't know if it would work out. I mean, he's the Avatar, and I'm-"

"Not," Toph interrupted. "Aang doesn't give a damn that you're not the Avatar. I have no doubt that he loves you. Ha, I'd bet my feet he's making proposal plans at this moment.

As a matter of fact, the Earthbending prodigy wasn't far off. "Sokka," Aang whispered.

"Ohhhhhh, Suuuuuuuuukkkkiiiiiii . . . . . . ." was his reply. With a sigh, the Avatar doused the sleeping warrior with a pitcher of ice cold water.

Immediately, Sokka sprang to his feet, forgetting he was in his boxers, and shouted, "WHO'S DISTURBING MY MAN-SLEEP?!"

"Calm down, Sokka," Aang sighed.

"Well, whaddaya want, Aang?", Sokka asked. "Do you know what girls like?"

"Of course I do, Aang. I happen to be planning on proposing to one tomorrow. Why?"

(_Okay. I've gotta plan this carefully, or this could blow up in my face like a swamp fart bubble_), the young Avatar thought. "Weeeellllllllll . . . . . . . . .I was kinda planning on proposing to your sister."

"WHAT?! PROPOSE TO KATARA?! WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME EARLIER?!", Sokka bellowed.

"SHHHHHHHHHHHH! You'll wake the girls," Aang whispered.

Sokka turned toward his friend and said, "Aang, you'd have to talk to my dad about that. I'm okay with it, but you should ask my dad first."

Aang nodded and said, "I hope he's okay with it." He pulled out a fully carved Betrothal necklace and said, "I'd hate to have this go to waste."

_**The next day**_

The next morning, Aang woke up. He made sure all his clothes were on (They were), and went into the bathroom to take a piss and to see if there was any hair growing on the top of his head. There wasn't, which was good because Aang could finally walk around as the Avatar and not get mobbed by Fire Nation soldiers. Fire Nation girls, however, were a different species, altogether. Katara was also getting ready for the day. She first had to decide between her Water Tribe outfit and her more revealing Fire Nation garb. She chose the Fire Nation clothes, smiling naughtily, knowing they would cause Aang to have a major erection seeing it. As she walked out of the women's' bedroom, she ran into her father, Hakoda. "Oh. Hi, dad," Katara said.

"Well, Katara. Looks like you're trying to get a certain boy's attention. Now, I wonder who that would be . . . . . . . .. " Her father replied.

Suddenly, Katara blurted out, "I WANT TO MARRY AANG BECAUSE I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!"

"Whuh?", Aang said as he exited the men's bedroom.

Katara, mustering all her courage, which wasn't easy, considering the massive blush spreading on her face, Katara repeated herself: "I want to marry you, Aang."

"Katara, I . . . I . . . uuhhh . . . I feel the same way. I mean, I want to marry you," Aang hesitantly replied. He pulled out the Betrothal Necklace he had worked on.

Katara couldn't help but admire the handiwork and said, "Oh, Aang. It's so beautiful."

"Hey, dad!", Sokka yelled. "How's it - - - wait, what's happened, here?"

"Katara wishes to marry Aang, and vice versa, it seems," Hakoda answered, "and I for one approve of it."

"Thank you, sir," Aang replied.

Hakoda chuckled and said, "Please, just call me Hakoda, or Dad. After all, you're marrying Katara, and that makes you a member of my family."

**Well, that's it for Chapter 1. Sorry, but no lemon this chapter. I can hear you yelling at your computer screen "C'MON, DREAD! GIVE US MORE ALREADY!" All in good time, dear reader. All in good time. Remember, the Undocumented Muse works best when he's loved and encouraged. R&R, or you may never see Chapter 2: Plans Interrupted. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahaha . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**(fake coughs fading into background . . . .)**


	2. Plans Interrupted

**Chapter 2: Plans Interrupted**

**I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, but the movie stank "like the south end of a northbound donkey" (a saying I picked up from Duck Dynasty). I hope this story will be far better. BTW, lemon imminent. All below 16 are forbidden entry.**

"Two months," Aang thought as he gazed at the Earth Kingdom forest he and his friends had stopped in, giving Appa, Aang's Flying Sky Bison time to rest. "Two months, then Katara and I will say our vows. Oh man, I wish the day was already here," Aang said, groaning the last part aloud.

"Oh, don't worry, Twinkletoes. You'll marry Katara soon," a familiar voice commented.

"Oh! I didn't see you there, Toph," Aang said in surprise.

"I've been here for a few seconds," the young Earthbender replied. Ugh! You and Sokka are so lucky!"

"What do you mean?" Aang asked.

"Oh, you know. You and Sokka are both getting married, and I've got no one," Toph complained.

"Don't worry, Toph," Aang said. "I'm sure you'll find the boy of your dreams someday."

"I hope so. And if you tell ANYONE about this, you're losing your nuts, and don't think I don't mean it," Toph growled.

"Hey, hey. Don't worry, Toph, your secret's safe with me," the young Airbender reassured.

"And me!" a familiar voice exclaimed.

"How long were you listening in, Katara?" Aang asked.

"Oh, long enough to know that Toph's jealous," Katara replied.

"I'm not jealous!" Toph retorted. "I just want a boyfriend of my own. Okay?"

"Don't worry, Toph," Katara reassured. "Your secret's safe with me."

Nearby, in the shadow of a tree, a mysterious figure watched the three converse. "Soon, Toph Beifong. You will receive what you wish." And with that remark, the figure turned around, and walked into the shadow of the tree, fading from sight.

**-One month later-**

"Only one month left. I can't wait until then," Katara thought with excitement. The young Waterbender looked out the window in the bedroom of her modest igloo in the South Pole, waiting for her soon-to-be husband, Aang, to come home. Within minutes, she saw him flying in on his glider, somehow managing to fly through the window (no glass) and land on the floor without making a single sound. "I never can figure out how you do that, sweetie," Katara whispered.

Keeping quiet, Aang whispered, "It's a secret, a technique I used to sneak fruit pies out of the kitchen back at the Air Temple with that technique."

"Well, while you're here, Aang, what ya we get down to business?" Katara growled seductively.

Knowing what she meant, Aang smirked and said, "I thought you'd never ask."

"Oh, you naughty boy," Katara murmured as Aang slipped off her Water Tribe dress, revealing only bare skin underneath.

"You call ME naughty? You don't have any underwear on, Katara," Aang whispered lustfully.

"Of course not, my love. What fun would those garments be? Like what you see," Katara purred, making sure Aang saw every inch of her brown skin, including her luscious, chocolate breasts with their dark nipples. Aang felt hungry just staring at them. Then he saw her pink, wet pussy. It was dripping with juice, and Aang leaned in, licking his lips in anticipation.

"Not yet." Katara said, as she put her hands in front of her opening. "First, I have to see what YOU have to offer." With that remark, Katara slipped Aang's shirt and pants off in 2 swift moves, revealing his slim but well-defined muscles up top, but her attention was capture by what was south of the border known as Aang's Waistline. She saw two small balls, and above them, a fully hard 9-in prick. After staring at it for a while, Katara purred, "Looks like someone's well-endowed in size." Aang's reply was choked off by him moaning softly while Katara first rubbed and licked his dick, and then sucked on it like it was a popsicle.

After a few minutes of this pleasure, Aang moaned, "Oh shit, Katara. I think I'm gonna cum." At that point, he noticed that the pleasure had stopped. Groaning in disappointment at having been so close to climax, he looked up, and saw Katara lying on the bed that had been made for the two of them, her nether lips spread, inviting Aang in.

She smiled and said, "I'm wet, boy. Come over." Happy to comply, Aang came over, positioning his cock close to the entrance to Katara's womanhood. He teased her by rubbing her pussy with the head of his dick, making Katara wetter in the process. Katara wrapped her legs around Aang's ass and pulled him in, forcing his prick into her womanhood, piercing her virginity in the process. The Waterbender squeaked slightly as she felt her virgin blood flowing out her pussy, but all other sounds were silenced by Aang's lips against hers. After a few minutes, she gave Aang, who was lying on top of her, a small peck on the lips, telling him to start moving. He did, and immediately, as the young Avatar began pumping in and out of her, the two became submerged in a flood of pure pleasure, so much that it took all their willpower to not yell in the sheer feeling overtaking them. The two spoke no words, but each was thinking the same thing: (OH SPIRITS! THIS FEELS SO GOOD!) Aang decided to kick things up a bit by using his Airbending to speed his movements, and he was rewarded by even more pleasure and Katara's moaning as she felt her pleasure levels increasing. This feeling increased further when Katara felt her nipples being flicked and sucked on by the young Avatar. Within a few minutes, Katara urged Aang to cum inside her. "But what about . . . . "

"So what if I get pregnant," Katara moaned. "Fuck that. We're getting married!"

"Okay, Katara! I'm . . . . . CUMMING!" Aang shouted, or at least he would've, if Katara hadn't sealed his lips with hers, silencing the young couple.

**-The Next Day-**

The next day dawned bright and early, due to it being summer in the South Pole. Aang and Katara were still sleeping, embracing each other after their hot night of lovemaking. Aang was the first to awaken, basking in the sun shining through the curtains that had been closed before they had sex. After a few hours, Katara awoke to find her love had fallen asleep. She gave him a kiss on the lips, and started to move away, to get dressed, but then she felt something move inside of her. She looked down, and saw some of Aang's 9-in near her cunt, meaning the rest had to be inside. She smiled naughtily, and proceeded to ride Aang while he slept. Immediately, Katara felt her body shudder with waves of pleasure, pleasure she loved, but not nearly as much as she loved Aang. Even asleep, it didn't take Aang's cannon long to shoot its cannonball into Katara's ship. Katara moaned as she felt Aang's seed shoot up into her inner depths. Aang was awakened by this, as well as by the feeling of Katara's inner walls clenching his dick as she orgasmed, somehow managing not to yell. "Good morning, sleepyhead," Katara giggled as she smiled.

"Good to see you, Katara," Aang replied with a yawn.

"Well, think we should get dressed?"

"Yeah, we should," Katara replied, the two blushing as they noticed that they were still in their birthday suits. They quickly got dressed, and just in time, too.

"AAAAAAAANNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!" a voice yelled out.

"Keep it down, Sokka," Aang hollered back. "The spirits can hear you." The Water Tribe Warrior ran over, panting heavily.

"There . . . . . . was a person . . . . . . . . . . . . who was using . . . . . firebending . . . . . . phew. . . . . . to fly through . . . . . . . the air . . . . . . . The waterbenders tried to use waterbending to turn him around . . . . . . , but he deflected the water and turned . . . . the wave against them, tossing almost . . . . . . . everyone from their boats."

"What?! How can there be another Avatar?" Aang asked. "I'm still alive."

"I know," Sokka replied, his breath returning. "He gave me the creeps as soon as he appeared."

"Why?" Katara asked.

Sokka replied, "His skin was as dark as that night when Zhao killed the Moon Spirit. What creeps me out more is that when I threw Boomerang and Space Sword and him, he deflected Boomerang and grabbed Space Sword WITHOUT CUTTING HIMSELF! After he overturned the boats, he demanded to speak with you, Aang, immediately."

"Where is he?" Aang asked. "He said that he would meet you on Kyoshi Island, where you used the Unagi to help keep the village from burning down," Sokka replied.

"Dammit," Aang exclaimed. "Why couldn't he contact me a few months later? Doesn't he know I have a wedding in a month?" With a sigh, he asked Sokka, "Do I have to go alone?"

"No," Sokka replied "He wants you to bring along Katara, and he needs to see Toph."

"Alright. We leave today," Katara stated. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get back to wedding plans." 1 hour later, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Toph (Team Avatar) flew off on Appa, wondering who this person was, and why he insisted on seeing Toph.

**-Kyoshi Island-**

Team Avatar landed on Kyoshi Island within a few days, having made good time. As they dismounted, Sokka looked around for the mysterious figure that had appeared near the South Pole not too long ago. He looked in the shadows of the nearby trees, but saw no one. He looked under the large rock outcroppings near the beach, but nobody was there. Suddenly, he got the feeling someone was behind him. He turned quickly, and jumped back, emitting a girly squeal in the process.

"So, this is the mighty Sokka who disabled the Fire Nation Air Fleet? Frankly, I'm unimpressed." Everyone ran over to see what Sokka had squealed about, and saw standing in front of him a boy who looked as old as Aang. His black hair was short, but long enough to be seen against his moonless-night-black head. His eyes, lips, and clothes were as black as his skin, and in his belt, a long, thin scabbard was visible, with the hilt of the sword it contained in plain sight, as well.

"Hey, isn't that my sword?" Sokka asked.

"It is," the mysterious figure replied. "Here. You have more need for it than I." Sokka caught the scabbard and put its strap on his left shoulder, allowing him easy access to the blade made out of iridium (though they didn't call it that).

"Who are you, and why did you want to talk to me?" Aang asked. "Do you know what you interrupted?"

"Yes, Avatar. I know. You were planning your wedding with Katara." Looking at the young waterbender, he commented "A fine choice, Avatar. She won't wander from you, and she'll make sure you stay with her. Now, to answer your question, you can call me Shadonus."

"Okay, uh . . . Shadonus. Why'd you want to see me?" Aang asked nervously.

"Simply put, I asked to see you for two reasons. One: to warn you of an assassin that will try to slay you while you kiss Katara, sealing your vows. I believe you know him as Combustion Man."

"WHAT?!" Sokka cried. "I killed that guy with Boomerang."

"He survived, and was healed by a dark spirit."

"Like you?"

"No, warrior. For starters, if I was a spirit, your Boomerang wouldn't have bounced off of me. Also, I appeared during the day, not during the night, when spirits come out. Anyways . . " He turned to Aang and said "Reason 2: The spirit that healed Combustion Man, Firelord Sozin, is also planning on killing you on the night of the winter solstice. He'll be strongest then."

"How do you know all of this?" Katara asked.

"I can travel between the Spirit World and Human World without difficulty. In case you're wondering, I'm an Avatar, one with powers to compare to that of Avatar Aang."

Aang looked over at Toph, and she said, "He's speaking the truth. Twinkletoes, I mean Aang, said that you wished to see me. Why?"

"So you could see me," Shadonus replied.

"I'm blind," Toph replied. "Do you mean using earthbending to see you? Cuz I already am."

Shaking his head, Shadonus answered "No, Toph. I can give you what you've always wanted."

"What, a fashion sense?" Toph replied snarkily.

"No. Your eyes," Shadonus said.

"You can make me see?" Toph exclaimed. "Wait. What's the catch? There's always a catch."

"Only that you remind Aang to remember my words of warning. Oh, and it would be nice if you could go to your parents and show them your talents," Shadonus stated.

"Do I have to do the last part?", Toph asked.

"No," Shadonus replied. "I've already told your parents you're okay."

"You did? What did you tell them?" Toph inquired.

"I said that you had progressed in your earthbending, even working on sandbending," the dark youth replied, "And that you weren't homesick, being that you had left your house willingly."

"How do you know all this?" Sokka interrupted.

"I was standing in the shadow of a nearby tree, listening to your conversation, then listening in to Toph's parents' conversation."

"Do they miss me?" Toph asked, a tear in her eye. Shadonus walked toward her. Fearing an attack, Sokka got between Toph and Shadonus, but Shadonus used sandbending to shift the young warrior to the side.

He looked over at Suki, who was getting ready to attack, and he said, "I'm not going to attack Toph." Walking over to the young earthbender, he wiped the tear from her cheek with surprising tenderness. "Now, I believe you wish to see again," Shadonus stated.

"Okay," Toph replied. "I'll be sure to remind Aang of your warning."

"Very well," Shadonus replied, as he began to move his arms through the air, like he was bloodbending.

"Are you bloodbending her?" Katara asked, horrified.

"In a way, yes," the Dark Avatar replied, "but not like it's usually used. I'm redirecting small traces of her blood to certain parts of her eyes." He fell silent, mumbling something under his breath that sounded like a chant: "Blood to eyes, give her sight. Give more power in a fight . . . . . . . . ". He chanted this over and over for 3 minutes, then stopped. He stepped back and said, "What do you see, Toph?"

Toph looked around and said, "The sky's awfully cloudy." Everyone except Shadonus stared at her in shock, and soon, Toph, stunned by her own words, looked around wildly, seeing the word for the first time. She was astonished by all the colors, and stunned by how many colors there were. She turned toward Shadonus and said "You look nice. Gonna be at the wedding?"

"I might, or I might not," Shadonus replied cryptically. "Why?"

"Just wondering," the young earthbender answered.

"See you later," Shadonus called, as he walked into the shadow of a rock, and disappeared from sight.

"That was creepy," Suki commented.

"I think I know why you asked that guy if he was gonna be at the wedding, Toph. You have a crush on him, don't you?" Sokka teased.

"I do not!" Toph yelled as she hit Sokka in the man-zone with earthbending. (_I don't know. He's the first boy I've really liked.) _Toph thought. (_He's much nicer-looking than Twinkletoes, and he feels like a powerful earthbender.)_ After that, Team Avatar returned to the South Pole, explaining that they had met with the person who came to the South Pole, and that he had given Toph her sight. Forgetting about the incident for a while, Aang and his friends, Zuko and Mai included, made plans for the wedding.

**Well, that's the end of Plans Interrupted. Hope you liked them lemons. Read and review, Readers. If you do, I may provide more insight into the mysterious Avatarian person that is Shadonus (pronounced Shadow-nus). Remember, the Undocumented Muse of the Shadows reviews faster when he feels loved and inspired. Until the next possible sighting, this is Darkest Nightmare's Dread, slowly fading into the shadows . . . . . . . . . . . . .**


	3. Crisis in Potentia

**Chapter 3: Crisis in Potentia.**

**Me: I am Darkest Nightmare's Dread, the author of this story.**

**Aang: Yeah, a good one so far. Glad you wrote me in having sex with Katara when I was asleep. That felt nice.**

**Katara: I could go for another. I'm not pregnant, am I?**

**Me: I am forbidden permission to tell. The readers will find out before it's time.**

**Katara: (sigh) Okay.**

**Sokka: Yeah, but do I marry Suki in the next chapter, or what?**

**Me: Soon, Sokka. Very soon, you'll have your moment. Now, for the disclaimer. Toph?**

**Toph: Darkest Nightmare's Dread does not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. He also believes the movie sucked.**

**Me: ON TO THE STORY! SEND IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH!**

**Note: This chapter jumps right into the wedding of Aang and Katara. The wedding was delayed by rogue Dai Li agents creating a rebellion in the Earth Kingdom. The wedding will take place during the South Pole's spring, fall in the Fire Nation. Suki and Sokka have already been married a week prior, but will be in attendance. No lemons, only language.**

_(Thoughts of characters)_

"SHOUTED SPEECH"

**-At the Wedding-**

Aang sat in an igloo in the South Pole, awaiting the signal for him to appear. He had gone through the wedding rehearsal with his wife-to-be, Katara, and had even rehearsed a particular part of their honeymoon, namely removing Katara's wedding dress and fucking her brains out. Now, with the event he dreamed about ever since he first saw Katara taking place, Aang felt nervous, more nervous than he had been as he had awaited the coming of the Fire Lord on the day that Sozin's Comet appeared. He shivered in anticipation of the signal, and by sheer coincidence, the signal came in the form of Sokka yelling "AANG! GET YOUR LAZY ASS OUT HERE!" (_Sokka, Master of Subtlety_), Aang thought as he walked out of the igloo, dressed in his Airbender Monk clothes. He saw the crowd that had gathered for the wedding: just some people from the Northern village, all the Southern village, and Kyoshi Warriors. Then, he looked to the stage where his bride waited, and he couldn't believe what he saw: Katara in a form-fitting white gown that was thick enough to block the cold but tight enough to not make her appear overdressed.

When Aang walked onto the stage, Gran-Gran, Katara's grandma, asked Katara "Katara, do you take Aang to be your loving husband, to have and to hold, to love and obey-"

"What about endure?!" a young girl yelled from the crowd.

Gran-Gran gave the girl the infamous UNHAPPY GRANDMA stare, and then continued "To love and obey, in sickness and in health, through thick and thin, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Katara nervously said. Gran-Gran asked Aang the same question, and Aang replied "I do."

"I hereby pronounce this couple husband and wife," Gran-Gran said "You may kiss the bride."

As Aang and Katara leaned in to seal their vows, an assassin drew in a deep breath through his nose. He looked around, making sure that he hadn't been spotted, and then fired the firebending beam through the tattoo eye on his forehead. Aang and Katara ducked, the beam missing them. The assassin, Combustion Man, inhaled for another blast, but then his robotic arm smacked his head throwing off the aim. Sokka yelled, "LOOK! ON THE ROOF!" Everyone looked up to see what Sokka was yelling at, and they saw Combustion Man, dressed in his usual clothes, trying to strike a dark-skinned figure.

"Shadonus?!" Toph yelled.

"I foresaw your interference, Combustion Man," Shadonus said, ignoring Toph's question, "and I believe it's time I make sure you don't interfere again." As people watched, a wave came up and flowed toward the two combatants, covering Combustion Man. Shadonus froze the water, sealing the assassin so that he was rendered unable to continue in his job. Everyone stood frozen, astonished at the display of power.

Aang jumped on the roof of the igloo, landing next to Shadonus, and asked, "Why did you come?"

"To save you," the Dark Avatar replied, "and to stop Combustion Man. I did not wish for him to interfere in your life with Katara, or that of your friends. I also stopped by so people could get to know me better." Shadonus jumped down to the ground and bowed, saying "Greetings. My name is Shadonus, the Dark Avatar."

"So you're the one that tipped our boats," Hakoda said.

"Apologies," the Dark Avatar said. "I needed to get Aang's attention, and I thought that my actions provided adequate reason for the Avatar to come see me."

"Why did you need to see him, and why do you call yourself the Dark Avatar?" Hakoda asked.

Shadonus replied, "I'm the Dark Avatar because of my ability to use shadows of various solid objects, people included, to teleport, as well as the fact that my origins are shrouded in mystery. To answer your question, I summoned Aang to Kyoshi Island because I knew no one would bother us there. I warned him of Combustion Man's attack, but it appears that the assassin somehow snuck past defenses. As for Combustion Man, he's not dead, merely frozen. But back to Aang. I called him because I knew his friends Sokka, Katara, Suki, and Toph would come along with him. I particularly wanted to see Toph because I had the power to give her her sight. All I required in return was that she warned Aang about Combustion Man. I am not a greedy person, nor one that requires any cash."

Toph walked over and said, "Your outfit seems different." She was right. Shadonus wore no shirt, revealing a dark chest that was slightly lighter than his face, and he was wearing shorts.

"Don't you feel cold?" Sokka asked.

In reply, Shadonus stated, "No, the cold does not bother me at all. I have no problem with extreme cold or extreme heat."

"I'm glad you saved Aang," Toph said. _(And glad you came,)_ She thought.

"How long will you be staying here?" Hakoda asked.

"Only for a few minutes more," Shadonus replied. "I wish to speak to Toph. Don't worry, Sokka. She'll return."

As the two walked away, Toph noticed that one moment, she was in the Southern Village, and the next, the village had disappeared. "Where are we?"

"Seven miles north of the village," Shadonus replied. "I wished to speak to you alone because this message is for you to give to the others."

"What is it?" the young earthbender asked.

In reply, Shadonus said: "Aang is safe for now, but Sozin will come after him within a few weeks. Instruct him to go to Kyoshi Island again in two days. I will be waiting there, to transport him and Katara to Crescent Island, to Avatar Roku's temple."

"Twinkletoes, I mean Aang, said that the last time he went there, he was attacked by the sages, who served the Fire Lord," Toph replied.

"All the sages that were there last time, other than the one loyal to the Avatar, have been removed, and replaced with sages that won't be so hostile," Shadonus responded. "Aang needs to be there because on the day of the Winter Solstice, Sozin will appear in the early hours of dawn and at night, and try to slay Aang. Aang will need help from the past Avatars, who will be able to also appear on the Winter Solstice."

"Including you?" Toph asked.

"I will be present," Shadonus replied, "but not as a past Avatar. I was born 16 years ago, while Aang was born 112 years ago. Because of this, I am not a past Avatar, but one who works alongside Aang."

"I'm thinking of going to see my parents, like you asked," Toph said. "Do you want to come along with me?"

"I believe I will," Shadonus replied, "But after I transport Aang and Katara to Crescent Island."

Three days later (one day to relax, two to travel), Aang, Katara, and Toph flew in on Appa, landing on the beach of Kyoshi Island where Aang had wrestled with a Unagi. As expected, Shadonus was standing on the beach, waiting for them. Shadonus waved his hand as if he were saying "Shoo," and the recently married couple vanished, teleported to Crescent Island along with Appa, leaving Toph behind. "Now, I believe I said I would take you to your parents," Shadonus said.

"Yes, you did," Toph replied. She grabbed his hand, causing a blush to erupt on her cheeks. She looked at Shadonus to see what reaction he gave, and noticed that he gave a slight smile. With Aang and his friends in safety, the two walked from Kyoshi Island to the Beifong estate.

**What do you think, reader? I told you I'd offer more insight into Shadonus. Question is, why did Toph ask Shadonus to come to her parents' house? She simply could've asked to be sent there. Read and review, and I will create Chapter 4 of the story soon. FYI: Aang and Katara had sex in August. Read and Review, dear reader. Remember, the Undocumented Muse of the Shadows writes fastest when he feels loved and encouraged. Until the next sighting, this is Darkest Nightmare's Dread, slowly fading into the shadows . . . . . .**


	4. Meetings and Wars

**Meetings and Wars**

**Lemon warning. Also, there will be a battle in this chapter. Nothing graphic, but because of the lemon, those under 16 years of age are forbidden permission to read this chapter. Darkest Nightmare's Dread has spoken.**

**-The Beifong Estate-**

_(Inner thoughts)_

"SHOUTED LINES"

The Beifong estate was unusually quiet, considering it was one of the biggest estates that existed in the Earth Kingdom. Trees had been uprooted, the grass was burned, and the buildings had suffered minor to major damage, which was being repaired. Poppy Beifong sat in her chair, sewing a small piece of cloth in an attempt to distract herself from the sadness she was feeling. Eventually, she gave up, and started weeping. Lao, her husband, came over to her and embraced her, knowing why she was sad. Poppy was expecting a child, and every time the two thought about the child, they remembered Toph, their daughter who they thought had been kidnapped by Team Avatar. "I know," Lao whispered, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek. "I miss her, too."

"Who are you missing?"

Lao looked up in surprise, wondering _(Is that her? Has Toph come back?)_. To his joy, he saw his beloved daughter, Toph Beifong, standing before him in her Blind Bandit suit, with a difference that Poppy noticed immediately.

"Your eyes, they're not clouded. You can see?" she asked.

"I can, thanks to Shadonus," Toph replied. Hearing his name, Shadonus stepped forward into the light of the windows, allowing Toph's parents to see him clearly.

Lao stood up, walked over to Shadonus, and asked, "Did you kidnap my daughter?"

"No, Lao Beifong-sama," Shadonus replied. "Your daughter was not kidnapped at all. She went with Aang and his friends willingly."

"Why?" Poppy asked. "Why didn't she want to stay here, where she would be protected from those bandits and thieves roaming the roads? It's a dangerous world, out there."

"I know that, mom," Toph replied, "but you were protecting me too much. You wouldn't allow me to even go outside without a guard, and you did nothing but treat me like an invalid. I couldn't take it, so I went with Aang and his friends to get away from the overprotectiveness that people surrounded me with."

"I understand," Lao replied, "but how are you able to see?"

"I originally used earthbending to sense the location of people and various objects, but a long time ago, half a year, I think, Shadonus gave me my sight."

Poppy looked at Shadonus and said "They say he has the powers of the Avatar. Is this true, and is Avatar Aang still alive?"

"Yes on both counts," Shadonus replied. "I can show you proof of the first." He covered his fist with flames, used waterbending to extinguish the blaze, used airbending to clear the smoke, and repaired a crack in the ceiling with earthbending. Lao and Poppy were astonished by the power exhibited by the youth, and asked him how he came to meet Toph. Shadonus stated that he had invited Aang and his friends, Toph included, to Kyoshi Island. "There, I warned Aang of an assassin that would attempt to slay him at his wedding," the Dark Avatar said, "and informed him of Sozin coming back on the Winter Solstice to try and kill him. I asked to see Toph because I wished to give Toph her sight. My price: Remind Aang of the assassin, and to consider visiting you, to show you that she was okay."

"Thank you so much - what's your name?" Lao asked.

"My name is Shadonus," the Dark Avatar replied.

"How can we thank you for bringing Toph back to us?" Lao asked.

"My only request is that you grant Toph more freedom, and to treat her like a normal person. After all, the very thing that made you hold her back, her blindness, is no more."

Lao nodded and said "I'll think about it, but surely, you deserve a greater reward than just what you said. If you wish, we can give you a room. They have been damaged by the Fire Nation, so the room may be wrecked."

"No thank you," Shadonus replied. "I don't need to eat or drink more than twice a month, and I haven't slept in a bed or sleeping bag for so long."

"I insist that you stay," Lao insisted. "You've done so much for us, bringing Toph back.

"sigh Oh, very well," Shadonus groaned. "I'll take any bedroom that's available. Wrecked or not, it doesn't matter to me."

After being shown to his room, Shadonus dismissed the servant that had been assigned to him by Poppy. He looked around the room, and noted that it was a good room, virtually untouched by the Fire Nation. There were a few cracks in the ceiling, but they were quickly sealed with earthbent pebbles Shadonus kept in a pouch on his belt. An hour later, his servant, a maid, knocked on his door. When Shadonus answered, she explained that Poppy, Lao, and Toph Beifong were going to have dinner with some guests, and that he was invited. Shadonus nodded, and accepted the clothing the maid had brought up for him to change into.

**-The Beifong's Dinner Party-**

At the table in the main dining room, Poppy and Lao were conversing with various Earth Kingdom socialites. One, an elderly man slightly younger than King Bumi, commented that he had never seen Toph before. Poppy explained that Toph had been hidden away because of her blindness, and that her blindness had been cured by Shadonus. "Where is this 'Shadonus'?" the elderly man asked.

"I am on my way," Shadonus called. The guests turned in their seats to see Shadonus walking into the room, wearing clothes that Lao had worn when he was younger, and had preserved. Upon entering the room, Shadonus bowed and said "Hello, friends of the Beifongs. I am Shadonus, the boy who gave Toph her sight." The socialites turned to look at this strange youth who had given Toph her sight, and noticed that while he was similar to Aang in body shape, he had more of an aura of mystery around him, and lacked the Airbender tattoo that Aang sported.

Shadonus moved to a seat close to the end of the table opposite the Beifongs, but Lao said, "Oh no, my friend. Please, move to a better seat." Shadonus accepted the invitation, and was led to a seat right next to Toph Beifong, a move that made Toph blush at the thought of having the boy she had a secret crush on sit next to her.

_(We are friends, and we've known each other for a while . . . . . Maybe, I should . . . . . . tell him . . . . . . . . . )_, the young earthbender thought.

"So," a rich, young woman asked, "how did you get your powers, Shadonus?"

"I cannot tell you. It is best that you not know."

"Why? You're going to need to give me a better answer than that," the woman said.

"I can only tell you that it happened to me when I was young." Shadonus replied. After that, the socialites were silent, practicing their manners as they ate. Shadonus, inexperienced with such manners, made occasional errors, and had to be corrected by Toph, who showed him how to hold his chopsticks, to wipe his mouth, all sorts of manners.

At one point, after being shown how to hold his chopsticks, again, Shadonus turned to Toph, and said "I'm sorry if my manners are poor. I haven't eaten in a house like this, before."

"It's okay," Toph replied, "I'll be more than happy to teach you if you'll stick around for a while longer."

"I'll think about it, Ms. Toph Beifong," Shadonus replied in an attempt to be polite. The rest of the dinner, all six courses, went by without incident.

_(I wonder how Twinkletoes and Katara are doing . . . . . . . )_ Toph wondered.

**-Crescent Island-**

Meanwhile, in Roku's Temple, Aang was meditating in the bedroom he shared with Katara, trying to get into the Spirit World. After a few minutes of silent meditation, Aang opened his eyes and found himself in a foggy, thick forest: The Spirit World. ""Roku?" Aang called. "Where are you?"

"I am right here, Aang," the elderly Avatar said as he appeared before the young Airbender. "Why have you come here, Aang?" Roku asked. "The solstice is not for a few weeks."

"I know, Roku," Aang replied, "but there's something I need to ask you."

"And what is that?"

"Who is Shadonus, and how did he gain the ability of the Avatar to bend all four elements?" Aang asked.

"That is for Shadonus to reveal," Roku replied. "but do not make him linger on the subject for too long. It pains him to think about it."

"Why?" the young monk asked. ""Why does it pain him?"

"He will tell you why it pains him when he describes how he gained his abilities," the former Avatar replied. "Now go back to your body, Aang. Your wife awaits you."

Aang travelled from the Sprit World back to his body, to find that there was a surprise already waiting for him. It was night, and next to him, Katara lay awake on top of the blankets, her naked body highlighted by the gentle glow of the moon. "Wow, Katara . . . . . . . . . ."

"Like what you see, honey?" the waterbender murmured lustily.

"I certainly do, Katara," Aang whispered as he stripped off his clothes, becoming as bare as her within seconds. The two embraced, and began making out, Katara becoming wetter as her tongue wrestled with Aang's and his hand played with her pussy, and Aang becoming harder from the kiss and from Katara rubbing and massaging his penis. Aang soon pulled his lips away from Katara's, and placed his penis near her entrance. "Can I put it in?" the young monk asked. Katara nodded, and Aang, rubbing his prick a few times to keep it hard, plunged into Katara's wetness, moaning immediately at the feeling of his stick getting squeezed by Katara's tight pussy. After a few minutes, Katara's juices were flowing, wetting the bedding directly underneath her ass (Where else would the fluids flow?), and Aang had a hard time keeping his penis in because Katara's love tunnel was so wet. Eventually, Aang decided to go with the flow and use Katara's wetness to his advantage. He used waterbending to move the wetness aside, even using some of it to tweak, knead, and massage Katara's stiff, hard brown nipples. That was enough to send Katara over the edge as she let loose a massive flood of juices, soaking the bed. Aang managed to turn the wetness into vapor, drying the fabric, before shooting his load into Katara's pussy. Exhausted, Aang pulled the covers over himself and Katara, and barely managed to pull out before falling asleep, Katara already out.

**-Beifong Estate-**

Meanwhile, at the Beifong Estate, the guests had left for their homes, leaving the servants to clean up the mess. When Shadonus moved to lend a hand, Poppy asked him to stop, saying that he was a special guest, and didn't need to help the servants. Shadonus replied, "But you're allowing me to stay here. The least I can do is help out." However, when the servants themselves asked Shadonus to not help them, telling him that he was helping enough and shouldn't exhaust himself, he relented, and retreated to his room to meditate.

Within minutes, the Dark Avatar had entered the Spirit World. He immediately went to the nest of Koh, the Face Stealer (The Mugger of Mugs, The Expression Taker, etc.). Avatar Roku appeared beside him and asked, "Why are you going in the direction of Koh's tree?"

_(I need to know what side he'll be on during the battle against Sozin,) _Shadonus replied in Roku's mind.

"Be careful, Shadonus. Koh is in more of a foul mood than usual," the older Avatar cautioned. "I advise against contacting him, especially since you took Kuruk's wife, Ummi, out of him."

"I know, Avatar Roku, but I promised him Combustion Man when he dies," Shadonus replied.

"Good luck," Roku called as Shadonus stepped into the cave in the tree where Koh resided. As he walked into the cave, Shadonus sensed a hostile presence, one that wasn't Koh's, but someone whose face had just been stolen. The figure, Fire Nation Guy, stumbled out, muttering mentally about "stinkin' spirit thing. As if my afterlife doesn't suck enough . . . . . . "Within a few minutes, Shadonus found Koh, staring into the tunnel.

"Welcome, Dark Avatar. It's been a long time since we last met," the superancient spirit said.

Shadonus nodded and said, "I came by to say hello and see how you were doing."

Koh's face changed to that of the blue gargoyle-like face he had shown in Avatar: The Last Airbender, and said, "Not many interesting faces come by here, anymore. But now, to business. I know that you didn't come here just to say hello."

"You're right," the Dark Avatar admitted. "I came to see what side you were taking in the conflict between Sozin and Aang."

Immediately, Koh replied, "I'm staying out of the conflict. It doesn't interest me in the least. Besides, if I was to enter battle, my powers would likely disable both forces, which would not benefit my chosen side, the side of the Avatars. Do you know the names of the Avatars taking part in the battle?"

"Yes," Shadonus replied, "I know who they are. Only Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk, Yangchen, and Kozun (the unnamed Fire Avatar b4 Yangchen) are taking part. The others are either unreachable or uninterested in combat."

Koh nodded and said, "I am uninterested also, but know this, Dark Avatar: I will be cheering for you from here."

"Thank you, Koh," Shadonus replied. "I brought you a present." Shadonus reached into his bag, and pulled out Combustion Man, who had been turned into a small, stone figurine. Koh smiled and took Combustion Man's face, destroying the toy and setting the assassin free, but weakening him.

"Thank you, Shadonus," Koh said through Combustion Man's face. "This face will be an interesting addition to my collection. You may leave now." Bowing Shadonus said goodbye and returned to the human world.

"About time you returned," a voice said, sitting right next to him. Shadonus turned to see who it was, and saw that it was Toph, and that she had a blush on her face.

Puzzled by this, Shadonus asked, "Why are you blushing, Toph? You're not the blushing type."

"You're right," Toph replied, "but I've got something to say that I've never said to anyone else before."

Shadonus looked at Toph and asked, "What is it?"

Blushing deeply, Toph said, "Oh, spirits. This is awkward. I need you to close your eyes, to make this less awkward."

Shadonus closed his eyes cautiously and asked "What do you want to tell me, Toph?"

He heard a soft sigh, the air from it hitting his cheek, and Toph whispered, "Shadonus, I love you." Before Shadonus could react, he felt something slightly rough and warm press against his lips. When his eyes opened in surprise, he saw a close-up of Toph's face, and he realized what was happening: His suspicions of Toph having feelings for him were being confirmed by her kissing him. Toph pulled away after a few seconds, catching her breath. Her face ablaze, she turned away and said, "I understand if you don't feel the same for me."

"Toph," Shadonus said softly, "many girls have tried to win my heart, but you're the only one who's succeeded. I also love you, but I was afraid to show it for fear that your parents would disapprove."

"Actually, we both approve it," Poppy said from the doorway.

Shadonus looked over in surprise and said, "You - - - You do?"

Lao entered the room, and nodded, saying, "Toph seems so much happier now than she used to be, but she seems happiest when you're near. Besides, you gave her our daughter sight, so I have no problem if she wants to spend more time with her."

Shadonus nodded and said, "Has Toph told you about what will take place on the Winter Solstice?"

"She told us of the temporary return of Fire Lord Sozin, and that Aang would have to defeat him," Poppy replied.

"Then you'll understand why I'm forbidding Toph participation in the battle," the Dark Avatar replied.

"WHAT?!" Toph yelled. "Why not? I can help you by using Seismic Sense to tell where the enemies are."

"That will be of no good, Toph," Shadonus countered, "because spirits don't touch the ground. Also, they may be immune to earthbending."

Toph opened her mouth to object, but then she saw something in Shadonus' eyes that she had never seen before: Fear. She knew that if Shadonus was scared about the battle, she wouldn't last any amount of seconds. "All right," Toph sighed. "I'll stay home."

Relieved, Shadonus smiled, and said, "The battle will soon begin. I must go to Crescent Island in the morning to prepare for the Winter Solstice. I will bring Toph to the battle only if there are human operatives present, and the spirits have been sufficiently weakened." In the morning, Toph woke up early and went to Shadonus' room, hoping to say goodbye to him before he left. She found him coming out of his meditation. As soon as he had returned to his body, Shadonus walked over to Toph and held her hand in his. "Goodbye, Toph. I hope we meet again, soon," Shadonus whispered as he gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Toph kissed him back, and said "I'm just so worried that you may not return."

Shadonus nodded, and said, "That's why I forbade you accompany me, because I don't want your parents to lose you for real." Having said this, the Dark Avatar shadow-phased to Crescent Island, surprising Aang, who was trying to meditate.

"Where did you come from?" the young Avatar asked.

"The Beifong Estate," Shadonus replied. "I came here to help you defeat Sozin. You don't kill them, you weaken them so I can imprison them in dolls, like I did with Combustion Man after I sliced his head off with a Shadow Blade."

"What'll you do after that?" Aang asked.

Shadonus shrugged and said, "I might give them to Koh. I've already handed Combustion Man over to him, and he'll be happy to add a Fire Lord's face to his collection."

Aang looked around and said "Do you need a room? Cuz I can get you one, if you need."

Shadonus shook his head and said, "I slept last night, and I can go more than two months without sleep, and not suffer any aftereffects. In fact, I only need to sleep once every five months, so no. Don't need a bed." Shadonus turned around and said, "I'll stay in the shadows of the Temple. The sages already know of my existence, so they won't attack me." Then, Shadonus vanished into the shadow of the curtains in the room, where he stayed until the night the day of the Winter Solstice began.

**-Battle-**

At midnight, a shadowy, evil spirit crossed over to the human world. "Hehehehehehehe, thank spirits for those worshippers of mine," the spirit whispered, "who saw it fit to resurrect me, Fire Lord Sozin." The former Fire Lord floated through the halls of the temple, spitting on the ground in derision, muttering, "Those fools built this temple for Roku, but all I got was a cult devoted to me. Oh, well, I suppose the cult was of some use." Soon, the evil spirit found his target: Aang's room. He phased through the door to find Aang meditating and Katara asleep beside him. Pulling a knife of firebending out of his pocket, the Fire Lord prepared to strike the Avatar.

"Shadonus, NOW!" Aang yelled. Suddenly, a massive wave of pure shadow wrapped itself around the spirit, extinguishing the blade, and distracting the Fire Lord.

Shadonus appeared out of thin air and sneered at Sozin. "So, this is the mighty warrior who saw fit to destroy the Airbender Civilization. Even in death, you fail to impress me."

"Who are you?" Sozin demanded, working free of the shadow water. "Answer me, human."

"Stunning that you forgot who I am," Shadonus muttered. "I am Shadonus, the slayer of your pawn, Combustion Man, and I will be the one to defeat you."

"Oh yeah? You and what army?" the Fire Lord sneered.

"This army," a voice behind Sozin said. Sozin turned around and saw Avatar Roku, Avatar Kyoshi, Avatar Kuruk, Avatar Yangchen, and Avatar Kozun, as well as other warriors.

"Well, then," Sozin said, "time to summon my forces." Behind him, evil spirits and spirits that opposed the Avatars appeared, including Emperor Chin.

Shadonus inspected the ghostly army before him and said "Let the battle begin."

The ghostly forces rushed outside, with Shadonus taking Aang outside, also. Immediately, Sozin's forces, led by Admiral Zhao, charged forward, armed with ghostly blades and firebending at the ready. Immediately, Avatar Roku appeared, creating a massive wall of flames to halt the ghostly soldiers. Kyoshi appeared, using Airbending to charge through the ghosts, with Kuruk, Yangchen and Kozun behind her. The Avatars started to decimate the ranks, but then, reinforcements began to arrive. Sozin himself barged through the Avatars' army, getting close enough to attack with close-range firebending. Before he could launch the attack, however, a massive electrical blast shot through the air, striking down a portion of the enemy army in the shockwave. Sozin, somewhat wounded by the blast, looked to see who it was, and was shocked to see who it was: Azula. "I don't care if you're my great grandfather, Sozin. The only one who will end the Avatar's existence will be me."

Shadonus flew over to her and said, "Remember, I only brought you here so you could reduce your sentence. Make one move to harm the Avatar, you're dead. Fire Lord Zuko's orders." Azula rolled her eyes and jumped into the battle, burning ghosts with her fire, which was blue instead of the usual red. The battle became a battle between Sozin's forces and the Avatars, Katara and Azula included. The other operatives on the Avatars' side had been sent back, too weak to maintain a presence in the human world. Azula looked around, and saw Aang unprotected in the confusion of the battle.

_(This is my chance, to end that Avatar, and kill his bitch, who defeated me.)_, the former Fire Princess thought. Because her firebending had been hampered by Shadonus when he freed her, Azula pulled out a knife that had been concealed in her dress. Dodging blows and attacks thrown by the combatants, Azula slowly made her way toward Aang. When she was almost behind him, she pulled out the knife, enchanted with all kinds of dark runes, and thrust forward, attempting to strike the Avatar in the back. Suddenly, someone appeared in front of her and took the knife, instead. It was Shadonus. The Dark avatar stared down at the cursed blade that was now lodged in his chest, and stared at Azula with a look that literally froze her. Taking advantage of this, Shadonus create a Shadow Blade, and with it, beheaded Azula, trapping her spirit in a rock doll. Aang, feeling the attack, turned and saw Shadonus enter the Avatar State.

"Aang," the Dark Avatar yelled in the multi-tone of the Avatar State, "you must unlock your true potential."

"How?" the young Avatar asked."

Shadonus replied, "Find the inner power that still sleeps, the true power of the Avatar: The ability to create light. I can create light, but I create shadow, also. You must find the same power within yourself, and unleash it. These evil spirits won't be able to - -ACK!", his statement ending as more enchanted knives buried themselves in his body, arms, and legs. Aang, startled, went Avatar State, but this time, he found a hidden store of power he had never seen before. It awoke, and begged to be unleashed. Aang unleashed it, and became a beacon of pure light. All the spirits, except for the Avatars, looked at Aang in astonishment, then realized that their hold on the human world was growing weaker, and tried to flee. However, Shadonus flew through their ranks, beheading the spirits and trapping them in rock dolls, which he shadow-warped to Koh's tree. Even Sozin fell victim to the wounded Dark Avatar's strikes. Only Sozin's human allies remained, and Toph, summoned by Shadonus, soon trapped them in columns of earthbending. When the forces surrendered, Shadonus spared them from death, dissipating his Shadow Blade. After the prisoners had been taken away, the former Avatars crossed back to the Spirit World. Immediately after they left, Shadonus collapsed to his hands and knees, breathing heavily and bleeding from the numerous wounds he had incurred. Toph ran over, and tried to remove the knives from her boyfriend's side. However, Shadonus used earthbending to move Toph back. He looked at her and said "If . . . . . you tried . . . . to remove the knives . . . . . . . from my side. . . . . .the hexes would burn . . . . . your hands. . . . . . . . " Shadonus used his power over the shadows to pull the knives out of his body, and collapsed to the ground, too weak to stand.

Toph ran over and cradled the Dark Avatar's head in her lap as tears started forming in her eyes. "Shadonus, do you love me?" the young earthbender asked, tearfully.

"Yes," Shadonus whispered, "I love you more than my own life, which is why I took so many knives that could've struck you . . . . . . " With that, the Dark Avatar slipped into a coma. Fearing he would never emerge from it, Toph started weeping loudly, mourning for her loved one. Katara walked over, and examined Shadonus' wounds.

After a few minutes, the master waterbender shook her head and said, "I'm sorry, Toph, but these wounds are beyond my ability to heal." This made Toph cry harder, the tears literally flowing in rivers down her face.

Aang walked over and said, "He was a mighty warrior, braver than the rest of us put together."

As Toph, Katara, and Aang wept over the warrior's body, they heard a voice they thought they would never hear again: "Why . . . .do you speak of me . . . as if I have departed. . . . . . " Toph looked up in surprise, then looked down at Shadonus' face and was overjoyed to see her beloved's eyes opening.

"SHADONUS!" Toph yelled happily as she pulled him in for a hug.

"OWWW!" Shadonus yelled, just as loud.

"Oh, sorry!" Toph said as she released her grip.

"It's . . . OW . . . . okay, Toph. . . . . . . I can't blame you . . . After all, I seemed to appear dead, didn't I?"

Still wiping the tears from her eyes, Katara nodded and said, "You did appear dead, Shadonus. How did you return?"

"I was in a dark, gloomy place. I couldn't see anything," Shadonus replied, "nothing but small drops of light. I grabbed one, and immediately, an overwhelming sense of sadness overtook me. I saw a light in the distance. I knew it was Toph calling me back because the light had a brownish color to it. Roku told me that the light that would appear at my death would be pure white. . . . . . Now, my wounds have lost their hexes. . . . You can . . . heal them now, Katara. . . . . . . . . . ." After Katara did so, Shadonus closed his eyes, whispering "I'm gonna fall asleep for a while, now. . . . .just as soon as I shadow-warp myself and Toph to the Beifong Estate. . . . . . ." With the last of his power, Shadonus shadow-warped himself and Toph to the Beifong Estate, falling into a deep sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow . . . . . . . .

**What do you think, reader? Good story? I apologize for making a small lemon, but I wanted to save my literary strength for the battle. Time to give credit where it's due. Thanks for the hints for Sozin's revival, CharlieFibrosis. Thanks for the encouragement, Avatar's Spawn. Don't worry, dear reader. Shadonus' tale is not complete. There is much work to be done. I have a question: Do you, the reader, wish to know of Shadonus' origins? Read and review. Remember, the Undocumented Muse of the Shadows works fastest when he feels loved and encouraged. FYI, Zhao's dead. Despair not, dear reader. I am working on Mysteries Revealed while you read this tag at the end of Meetings and Wars. Until the next possible sighting, this is Darkest Nightmare's Dread, slowly fading into the shadows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**


	5. Mysteries Revealed

**Greetings, dear reader. I believe you've been wondering how my character Shadonus acquired his powers. Your patience has been rewarded. This Chapter, Mysteries Revealed, will bring these secrets to light . . . . . or will it? Review, or else I unleash ANGRY VEGETA ON YOU! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAhahahahahahahahahahahahaha . . . . . . . .**

**FYI, While Aang is (1)12, Shadonus is 16.**

**Previously, on Avatar:**

"SHADONUS!" Toph yelled happily as she pulled him in for a hug.

"OWWW!" Shadonus yelled, just as loud.

"Oh, sorry!" Toph said as she released her grip.

"It's . . . OW . . . . okay, Toph. . . I can't blame you . . . After all, I seemed to appear dead, didn't I?"

Still wiping the tears from her eyes, Katara nodded and said "You did appear dead, Shadonus. How did you return?"

"I was in a dark, gloomy place. I couldn't see anything," Shadonus replied, "nothing but small drops of light. I grabbed one, and immediately, an overwhelming sense of sadness overtook me. I saw a light in the distance. I knew it was Toph calling me back because the light had a brownish color to it. Roku told me that the light that would appear at my death would be pure white. . . . . . Now, my wounds have lost their hexes. . . . You can . . . heal them now, Katara. . . . . . . . . . ."

After Katara did so, Shadonus closed his eyes, whispering "I'm gonna fall asleep for a while, now. . . . .just as soon as I shadow-warp myself and Toph to the Beifong Estate. . . . . . ." With the last of his power, Shadonus shadow-warped himself and Toph to the Beifong Estate, falling into a deep sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow . . . . . . . .

_**-Mysteries Revealed-**_

It had been two weeks since the battle on Crescent Island, and Shadonus had yet to awaken. Every day, Toph went to his room, hoping to find him meditating, or staring into space, or doing something that indicated consciousness. Unfortunately, every time she went to his room, he was still asleep. Not telling her parents, Toph would go into Shadonus' room at night, and lie next to him, indulging in the fact that he was still alive. However, the thing she longed for most, to have sex with Shadonus, and be passionately in love with him, could not be done until they were married (A/N: Her parents are highly traditional), and that couldn't happen until Shadonus woke up. The Beifong's doctor had told the family to "give him some time," but Toph's worry was beginning to overcome her patience. As she woke up, she noticed that Shadonus had been giving off slightly more body heat than usual, the amount that he would give off while conscious. That day, Katara and Aang came over to the Beifong Estate to see how Shadonus was doing. When Katara noticed Shadonus still unconscious on the bed, she turned to Toph and asked "Has he been like this since the battle?"

"Yeah," Toph replied sadly, "and nothing that the doctor tried has worked."

"Let me help," Aang said. He walked to the bed Shadonus was lying on, placed his right hand on Shadonus' forehead, and closed his eyes in concentration. After a few minutes, the young Avatar removed his hand, looked at Toph and said, "He wishes to speak to you."

"WHAT?" Toph asked. "How?"

"He'll take over my mind for a few minutes," Aang replied. "It's something he can do, but with my power level, I have to allow him control." Having said this, Aang placed the palm of his right hand on Shadonus' forehead. At first, nothing happened.

However, within a few minutes, Aang's eyes had taken a shade of black that could only be Shadonus' eyes, and when he spoke, it was with the Dark Avatar's voice: "Greetings, friends."

Toph and Katara looked like their eyes were going to pop out of their sockets, and Toph asked, "Shadonus, what happened?"

"That's a bit of a mystery, Toph," Aang/Shadonus (Author's note: I will refer to him in the future as A/S) replied, "but I know what will bring me back."

"What is it?"

"Your tears brought me back from my hex-encrusted slumber," A/S replied, "and they are the only thing that can bring me back from THIS slumber, also."

Suddenly, Aang's eyes cleared. He turned to Toph and said, "Shadonus exited my mind. He says you know what to do." Toph immediately began remembering how broken she felt when she saw her love on the ground, bleeding from numerous hex-knife blades, and within seconds, the tears started flowing. Toph cried out the feelings that had been accumulating in her heart ever since the end of the Crescent Spirit Battle (as it was known to the combatants): Fear that Shadonus would never awake, loneliness from having to go through the day without him, sadness over her absence from the main part of the battle, and guilt over him taking some many cursed blades for her. She cried until she had to stop for fear of drying her eyes. As Katara helped Toph dab away the tears, they heard a soft groan, which was followed by a rustling noise as the blankets covering Shadonus' body were forced back by Shadonus' arms pulling them away. Toph watched in awe as her boyfriend sat up, cracked his neck in a way that was truly wince-worthy, but let Toph know that he was well and truly back.

Shadonus looked over at her and said, "There's something I need to tell you, but I need to tell it to the Avatar and his wife, as well as your parents."

**-Main Living Room-**

Shadonus looked around at the group that had gathered: Aang and Katara sitting on a couch together, holding hands, and Toph with her parents on a different couch. Poppy turned to Shadonus and asked, "What did you wish to tell us?"

Shadonus stared at the ground, sighed, and said, "It's time you all know how I gained my abilities." Pacing back and forth, he said: "I was once a commoner near Ba Sing Se, the son of a farmer. My father was a waterbender named Kyron, and my mother was named Korrana. That's all I remember of them. One day, when I was young, the Fire Nation attacked. I never saw my parents after that fight, and I was taken to a lab in the Fire Nation Capital. It was before Aang was born . . . . . There . . . . . . they experimented on me, injecting me with the blood of different Benders, giving me electrical shocks, and testing my Bending abilities."

After taking a minute to compose himself, Shadonus continued: "I was born with no bending abilities, but the Fire Nation Scientists didn't care about that. I was given the name Project Shadow, a project, no longer a person to them. . . . . . . . Earthbending was the first to come to me, with the other elements . . . coming into order . . . . . . . . . Eventually, the scientists took me out of my capsule, allowing me to better test my Bending . . . . . . . . The Shadow-Warping, how I teleport place to place, came about as an accidental side effect of the corruption of my blood . . . . . . . The scientists never knew . . . . . . I kept the ability to myself. . . . . . . There was actually a person who was being subjected to the same torture as me. . . . . . . . . A girl . . . . . . . They named her Project Storm. . . . . . She bore a resemblance to you, Toph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . She cared a lot about me . . . . . . . . . . and so did I. We hung around together . . . . . . . . . simply enjoying each other's company. . . . . . Then, one day . . . . . . . she failed the tests that the doctors . . . set before her . . . . . . . They took her to the Incinerator . . . . . . . and I never saw her again . . . . . . . ."

At this point, Shadonus collapsed to the floor, unable to continue for a minute. After composing himself, he said, "After they took Storm away, I . . . . . . . I just couldn't take it anymore . . . . . . . . . " (Wow) Aang thought. (That's why Roku said that Shadonus telling how he gained his power would be painful.) "and I came up with a plan . . . . . I created a massive explosion by hitting the main generator with firebending . . . . . and used the distraction to earthbend my way out of the lab . . . . . In the dust, I Shadow-Warped to . . . . . the Western Air Temple . . and cried for days, crying for Storm, my parents . . . . . those who I had befriended at the lab . . . . all . . .gone. . . . . I'm sorry, but . . . . . . . I can't . . . . continue . . . ." Shadonus collapsed to the floor again, weeping heavily. Toph was stunned by this. She had never suspected her friend to be a science experiment, nor had she ever seen him cry. She walked over, and gave Shadonus a hug that could've bruised ribs in a normal person.

Shadonus, surprised, looked at Toph and said, "You . . . still love me . . . even though . . . . I'm a-"

"Don't you dare call yourself a freak, Shadonus," Toph interrupted. "I don't care about that. I care about what I see, and right now, I see a warrior who told people his deepest secret and needs comfort. You've got more guts than I, Shadonus, telling us about what happened. . . I know I wouldn't."

"Thanks, Ms. Toph Beifong," Shadonus replied, turning away from her.

"Where are you going?" Toph asked.

"The Western Air Temple. I won't be a danger to anyone there. I'm a freak, a danger to those around me. I hope you can forgive me for leaving, Toph . . . . " And with that, Shadonus Shadow-Warped out of the Beifong Estate, disappearing from sight. . . . .

**I suppose I should apologize for a short chapter, but I only meant it to be long enough to explain Shadonus' origins. I used the name for Shadow the Hedgehog, Project Shadow, as the experiment name for Shadonus. No, Project Storm bears no resemblance to the Marvel hero Storm. Also, Shadonus Shadow-Warping ability is based off of Shadow's Chaos Control, but Shadonus doesn't need a powerful gem or verbal call to use his abilities. Question is: Will Shadonus overcome the guilt of failing to protect Project Storm, and return to the Beifongs? If you have any suggestions for future chapters in this story, or wish to see this story continued, PM me. Until the next possible sighting, this is Darkest Nightmare's Dread, slowly fading into the shadows. . . . . . . .**


	6. Sorrow of the Shadows

**Greetings, dear reader. It's time to reveal where Shadonus went, and why.**

**FYI, in my story, Toph's 15.**

"_Whispered speech"_

_(Inner thoughts)_

**Previously, on Avatar:**

"Don't you dare call yourself a freak, Shadonus," Toph interrupted. "I don't care about that. I care about what I see, and right now, I see a warrior who told people his deepest secret, and needs comfort. You've got more guts than I, Shadonus, telling us about what happened. . . I know I wouldn't."

"Thanks, Ms. Toph Beifong," Shadonus replied, turning away from her.

"Where are you going?" Toph asked.

"The Western Air Temple. I won't be a danger to anyone there. I'm a freak, a danger to those around me. I hope you can forgive me for leaving, Toph . . . . " And with that, Shadonus Shadow-Warped out of the Beifong Estate, disappearing from sight. . . . .

**Chapter 6: Sorrow of the Shadows**

After fleeing from the Beifong Estate, Shadonus returned to the Western Air Temple, a remote and forsaken place where he knew he could meditate without distraction. The winds that flowed through the somewhat ruined halls had long ago failed to distract him, and he didn't mind the winds at all. They, along with the fact that the Temple was on the underside of a cliff, helped keep away all land borne intruders. The only air-borne intruders around were mosquito-flies and spider-flies, neither of which bothered the Dark Avatar at all.

When Shadonus returned, the winds were quiet, silent. Even the annoying mosquito-flies had stopped buzzing around, as if they could sense the Dark Avatar's sadness. "I shouldn't have told them . . . . ." Shadonus muttered softly, tears still flowing down his cheeks. "I saw only shock . . . in Toph's mind . . . . . . and some disgust. Why? Why should she have the slightest inclination to love me? A freak. That's what I am. . . . . . The doctors were right . . . . ."

"_No, they were not . . ._ " A soft voice whispered in the slight breeze. Sensing that a spirit was nearby, Shadonus turned around, Shadow Blade at the ready. As soon as he saw it was Avatar Yangchen, who had grown up there, he dissipated the weapon. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"_You know what I mean . . . ."_ the past Airbending Avatar whispered. "_You are unique, Shadonus . . . . . . You're the first Avatar . . .to master Shadow-Warping while still being so young . . . ."_

"You mean . . . . . Aang could also learn Shadow-Warping?" Shadonus asked.

"_Yes,"_ Yangchen whispered, _"he can, and he will . . . . . Already, he works at it . . . . . . "_

"Why, Yangchen? I foresee no more dire threats on the Avatar's life for many, many years. . . . . . ." Shadonus said.

"_You are right,"_ Yangchen replied, _"but he does it for another reason . . . . . a friend of his is eager to see you again . . . . . "_

"Who?"

"_You know who, young one . . . . . she poured her heart out to you before the Crescent Battle that nearly took your life . . . . "_

"TOPH?!" Shadonus shouted. "Why would she want to see a freak like me? She knows that I'm dangerous."

"_She knows that quite well,"_ Yangchen softly replied. _"but she stopped caring about that a long time ago . . . . . . You gave her a new look on life . . . . . gave her what she always wanted: the happiness of her parents at her abilities, a person to train with while Aang's on his honeymoon with Katara, and most of all, a person to love. . . . . . That's why she hasn't abandoned you, Shadonus . . . . . . . . She cares about you too much . . . . . " _

(She still loves me?) Shadonus thought. (Even though I'm a science experiment?) "When will she come here, to look for me?" he asked.

"_Soon . . . . . "_ Yangchen whispered as she began to fade, _"very sooonnn. . . . . . . . . . "_

The Dark Avatar watched as Yangchen vanished, then sat down to continue his meditating. Even with his experience at quieting his mind, one thought refused to sit still. It ran around Shadonus' brain ceaselessly: _(Toph cares about me . . . . . . . ) (I will wait for her 2 months. After then, I will return to her home, and then I will see if she truly cares about me,)_ the Dark Avatar thought silently as his meditation turned into sleep . . . .

**-The Spirit World, two weeks later-**

Another figure was meditating: Avatar Aang. This time, Toph had joined him, hoping to go into the Spirit World with him. As boredom began to set in, Toph soon noticed a change: the air around her was no longer cool, but hot and muggy. She looked up and realized that she was in the Spirit World, and that it was just like how Aang and Shadonus had described it: A thick, foggy forest filled with animals and people. "ROKU!" Aang called.

"I am here, Aang," Roku said, as he appeared from the thick fog.

Toph looked at the former Avatar, and said, "Well, you look old enough to be the Avatar before Aang."

Roku chuckled at this and said, "You are quite right, Toph. I am old. Now, Aang, why have you come?"

Aang sighed and said, "I want to learn how to Shadow-Warp like Shadonus. I mean, I already know how to, but I want to improve it so I can take Toph along, to make sure Shadonus is okay."

"Hhmmmmm . . . . . So, he told you his secret . . . . ." the old Avatar muttered.

"Yeah," Toph said, "he did. I think he read the surprise and mental flinch in my mind . . . . . . I think that's why he left . . . . . ."

"I can understand why he was so distraught about telling his past," Aang said. "I know I would be beyond sadness if I lost Katara . . . . . . ."

"Toph?" a voice said. "What are you doing here?" Toph turned around to see who it was. To her happiness, it was Shadonus. She ran over, tackled him to the ground, and proceeded to pepper his face with kisses. "Okay, okay . . .MMFF. . . I'm glad to see you too, Toph," Shadonus muttered. ". . . . hey, . . . . could you stop kissing . . . me for a moment, so I can talk?" Reluctantly, Toph pulled back, allowing Shadonus to regain his footing. He looked at Toph and said "Do you still . . . . love me, even after I told you about . ."

"Yes," Toph replied, "but right now, I'm resisting the urge to slap you across the face for leaving me."

"Can't blame you for that," Shadonus chuckled nervously. He looked around the forest, turned to Aang and said, "Take Toph back to her body. I'll arrive shortly." Immediately, Aang and Toph exited the Spirit World, returning to their bodies. Toph immediately fled to her room, looking for an acceptable dress.

**-The Beifong Estate-**

Within minutes, Shadonus arrived at the Beifong Estate, as he had promised. At the dinner table, the Dark Avatar looked at his friends and Toph's parents. After taking a few deep breaths, he said, "There's something else I need to tell you. After I escaped the lab where I had been . . . altered. . . . . I went to the Western Air Temple, where I could mourn for my friends without fear of interruption. One day, I Shadow-Warped to the Southern Air Temple. The guru found me and said 'You have much sadness within your heart. Hush, no need to tell me. I see it like it was written on a book.' He looked at me for a while, and then, he said 'There's something you need to know. Since your parents renounced the Earth Kingdom in an attempt to save their lives, a curse has hung over you.' It went something like this:

'Cursed to wander, cursed to roam.  
Cursed to never find a home,  
Until you finally find the one  
Who loves you deeply, whatever you've done.'

That's why I fled, because of my curse."

Toph was stunned by this and asked, "Who is the one who can undo your curse?"

Shadonus chuckled softly and said, "How ironic, that the one who has undone it doesn't know that she did it."

"You mean . . . . . . I'm the one . . . . . ." Toph asked.

"Yes, Ms. Toph Beifong. You have undone my curse." He looked at Lao and asked, "May I have a private word with you and your wife?"

When the three had retired to a separate room, Aang looked over at Toph and said, "You like Shadonus a lot, don't you?"

"Yeah," Toph sighed, "I actually do love him. Sorry if I was hard on ya when you were training to Shadow-Warp, Twinkletoes. I just wanted to see Shadonus."

Aang nodded and said, "I don't blame you, Toph."

"Thanks, Twinkletoes. . . . . . . . . I wonder what Shadonus is talking to my parents about. . . . . . . . ."

**-In Conference-**

"Mr. Lao Beifong-sama, Mrs. Poppy Beifong-sama, may I have permission to court your daughter, Toph Beifong?"

"I want to know why you wish to court her, Shadonus," Lao Beifong replied. "I want to be sure you're doing for reasons other than 'because she's rich.'"

"I have no interest in her money," Shadonus said, visibly offended. "Until I met her, I had no place to call home. The house of the Fire Lord, the poorest shelter in the Earth Kingdom, none of those places felt like home. Everywhere I went, young girls around my age tried to make me fall in love with them. I saw only faces, a moldable mask. Nothing more. When I saw Toph, however, I saw a rebellious young girl with a strong spirit. I sensed something in her that I had never sensed in any other girl: the ability to truly love. Most girls love with their eyes, but Toph loves with her heart. Also, she undid my curse of solitude. I owe her much, too much for even a thousand Gold Pieces to pay off, and I hope to at least repay part of it by giving her someone she wants: myself."

Lao Beifong looked at the Dark Avatar, and after thinking for a few moments, turned to his wife and asked, "Poppy, do you believe this boy is worthy of courting our daughter?"

Poppy immediately replied, "Yes. I believe he is more than worthy." Turning to the Dark Avatar, she said, "You have my permission to court my daughter."

Bowing deeply, Shadonus replied with "Thank you very much, Mrs. Poppy Beifong-sama, and thank you very much, Mr. Lao Beifong-sama."

**And so ends The Sorrow of the Shadows. Time to give credit where it's due. Thank you, WingedVampireGirl, for giving me tips on paragraphing and ideas on how to enrich the story. I am in your debt. As you, the reader, no doubt have noticed, Shadonus will be courting Toph Beifong. I do plan on marrying the two of them, and then, the lemons will begin. . . . . . Hahahahahahaha . . . . . . . . . Also, thank you, Blood Red Knife, for your review. It told me that you, at least, enjoyed my story, and encouraged me to stay on my predetermined path. To the rest of you readers, read and review. I cannot guarantee that I will send immediate replies to your reviews, but only because forces greater than myself command have ordered me to report to classes during the day, and I dare not oppose them. Tell me what you wish about the chapter and the story in general. Have I hit the proverbial nail on the head? Is my story up to your standards? Tell me what you wish in your reviews. If you flame me, I will unleash the forces of Chaos upon you . . . . . . . . . . Until the next possible sighting, this is Darkest Nightmare's Dread, slowly fading into the shadows . . . . . . . . . .**


	7. The Past's Dark Future

**I know you're all wondering what happened to Shadonus at the lab. Here's part 1 of what happened. Lee is about 10 years old.**

_**The Past's Dark Future**_

"Lee, it's time to bring the cows in!"

"Okay, mom!" a young boy yelled to his mom. After driving the cows into the barn, the young boy looked at the sky. It was dark with the coming of night and the clouds moving in. "Hmm, looks like we'll get some rain for the crops tonight," the young boy mused as he walked to the nearby house he called home. After entering, he shut the door, and walked to the kitchen, where his mother and father already sat.

"How are the crops doing?" Kyron, his father, asked.

"They're doing quite well, father," Lee replied. "The ground's a little dry, but the rain should provide enough water for you to use waterbending to moisten the ground and keep the carrot-tomatoes from drying out."

After a moment of thought, Kyron smiled and said, "We might actually make enough money to afford moving to Ba Sing Se."

Korrana, Lee's mom, nodded. After Lee left the room, "I hope we don't have to give up the farm," she said, with a note of worry in her voice.

"Do not worry," Kyron whispered softly. "We can rebuy the farm when the war moves away from us."

After dinner, Lee went out to the pasture to ensure that the cows had been brought into the barn. Only a calf had been left out, and it was soon reunited with its mother. Satisfied, the young boy turned around to find his house in flames. Confused and frightened, Lee turned to run, but was quickly captured by 2 Fire Nation Soldiers. Though he struggled with all his strength, the soldiers soon knocked him out, carried him to their ostrich-horses, which took them to a nearby ship after 3 days of travel.

"Do you think he's a bender?" the shorter of the two asked in a nasal tone.

"No," the taller of the two rumbled in a deep voice. "The Bloodbending spy said that his blood didn't feel like a bender's. He'll make a fine specimen for the project."

"Yeah," the short one snickered. "Hope we can make him squeal!" He started to laugh a small, helium-high snicker, and the taller one joined in with his rumbling chuckle.

**Secret lab, Fire Nation Capital**

_(Ugh . . . . . . . . . . .) (Uggghhh. . . . . . . . . )_

_(whu . . . . .) (What's . . . . . . . )_

_(What happened to me. . . . . . . )_, Lee wondered. He gasped as it came back to him: The house on fire, getting ambushed by the firebenders, and getting knocked out. He looked around, and saw he was in a metal cage, near other metal cages. "Whu . . . . where am I?" the farmer boy asked.

"Prison, or at least a place like it," a harsh, rasping voice replied. Lee looked over to see a man whose face looked like it had been burned severely. "You are surprised by my appearance?" Lee nodded, shocked at the man's strange face. "That's not all they did to me," the man rasped. "Look . . . . " Lee looked, and saw that the man's right arm was made out of metal. It had the general shape of a human arm, but it could never be mistaken as a human arm. "Hehe, the doctors gave me this little present after a little accident on the front lines." Lee looked around the small room beyond his cage, and saw more people in similar cages, even some kids his age.

"All right, give him the Earthbender blood sample, number 18." Lee gasped in pain as a long, needle-like blade plunged into his right arm, inside the elbow. After the blade was withdrawn, Azula kicked the table he was strapped to, and said, "Time for my favorite part." She put her fingers together and shot a small lightning blast precisely where the blade had penetrated Lee's skin. The young farmer boy shuddered as the volts flowed through his body. He had been in the lab for 26 meals, one meal for every day, and every day, he went through the same treatment. He used to cry and scream when the lightning struck him, but over time, due to the bender's blood being injected into him, he was building up a resistance to the electricity. "I think that'll be enough for the Earthbender's blood," Azula said with a sadistic smile on her face. "Let's start him on a sample of MY blood."

This time, the blood was collected using a needle to prick Azula's wrist, and the same needle was used to prick Lee's wrist, injecting the Fire Princess' blood in Lee. Suddenly, Lee roared in anger and threw a small rock at Azula's face. The sadistic bitch dodged it, and shot a burst of flame toward Lee. The farmer boy, unusually angry, deflected the blast, and threw a blast of half strength out of his right hand, causing everyone in the operating room to duck. Azula backhanded the boy and hissed, "You stupid, filthy little earthbender. DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU JUST TRIED TO BLAST?!"

"Why, no I didn't," Lee spat out, derision and hatred flowing from his words.

"We'd better get Project Shadow back to its cage before it tries to escape," a doctor said, trembling with fear.

Two weeks later, Lee had a sample of preserved Airbender muscle injected into his arm. As Azula was preparing to shoot another bolt at the boy, a voice spoke from the door, "Stop, Azula. I'll take care of the lightning."

Azula pulled back, turned toward the door and bowed deeply, saying, "As you wish, father." Fire Lord Ozai walked into the room where Lee's cage was kept separate from the others.

Lee looked up and sneered, "I should count myself lucky. The Fire Lord has graced my lowly cell with his presence." The Fire Lord shot a massive lightning bolt at the metal cage, causing the electricity to flow through every part of Lee's body.

As the young boy shuddered, Ozai spat at him and said, "Be glad you're useful to me. Otherwise, I would've killed you."

Lee looked up, and with bitter hatred in his eyes, spat at the Fire Lord and growled "I will NEVER be your puppet."

"That's what they always say, but they always turn in the end," the Fire Lord growled as he left the room.

"Has he shown results, yet?" "Yes, Professor San," the doctor said. "He has shown the ability to bend the elements without using his limbs, but this appears to be reflexive in nature."

The professor, an aging man only a few years away from retirement, looked at the papers concerning Project Shadow. "Hmmmm, his results are remarkably similar to that of Project Storm," he mused. "Allow Projects Storm and Shadow to interact. I want to see if they are compatible," the professor said to the doctor, in an authoritative voice.

"Sir?" the doctor asked.

The professor chuckled and said, "I don't intend on having them, as the young people say, knock boots together just yet. They have not yet hit puberty, and there's no guarantee that their reproductive organs are still functional. But for now, let them interact in a metal room. No sense in giving them the option of using earthbending to escape."

"As you wish, sir," the doctor said, bowing deeply as he left to carry out the professor's orders.

Lee woke up immediately when he heard his cage door opening. He pulled back when he saw the doctor approaching him. "If you think you're putting any more needles in me, you have another think coming, とんちき," the young boy snapped. The doctor pulled back at first, then reached in and grabbed the boy, telling him that he would be introduced to a person similar to him in ability, named Storm. Within minutes, Lee was taken to a room that appeared to be lined with metal. He looked around, trying to find a chink in the metal coating, but failed. He looked to the other side of the room, and saw a small girl sitting on a bench. She looked similar to Toph Beifong, whom Lee had seen when he had experimented with Shadow-Warping only his head. Her skin was pale, she had a white shirt on, with matching white shoes and dress. She looked up, and immediately fired a massive firebending blast at Lee, who countered with his own firebending blast, then used a blast of airbending to launch an attack of his own. The girl dodged the attack and launched an airbending blast in reply. Lee deflected the blast, and asked "How did you gain your abilities?" The girl stared at him as if he were speaking a foreign language. "どのようにあなたの能力を獲得しましたか?" Lee asked, switching to Japanese.

Storm stared at him, then said with slight confusion, "I can speak English. I just didn't understand what you said."

Lee nodded and said, "I asked you how you gained your powers."

Storm shuddered as if the memory was unpleasant, and said, "They used knives to inject benders' blood into me."

"They did the same to me," Lee replied. Storm looked at him with a smile on her face and said, "I'm glad that I'm not alone." She gave him a hug, and whispered, "You don't know how long I've longed for someone like me."

Lee nodded and said, "Well, it was extremely unpleasant, but it was worth the look on Azula's face when I crisped the top of her hairdo."

Two months later, the two experiments were practicing their bending together. Over the months, the two had created a synchronicity between the two of them that could rival the synchronicity between circus performers on the trapeze. Little did they know that they were being watched. The audience they were unknowingly entertaining was the Fire Lord, Princess Azula, and the head scientist. "They have improved their combat technique extensively," the head scientist said excitedly, "and their powers have increased exponentially."

Ozai nodded, thinking for a minute. "Are they loyal to me?" the Fire Lord asked.

"I- - - I don't know, my lord," the scientist stammered. "They never answer my questions. All they do is train."

"Maybe we should have them prove their loyalty, father," Azula said with an evil tone in her voice.

Ozai nodded, and said "You're right, Azula, and I know just how to see how loyal they are. . . . . . ."

"What did you say?" Lee asked.

Azula growled in exasperation, and repeated, "My father, Fire Lord Ozai, may he live forever, wishes for you to prove your loyalty by fighting each other. To the death."

Lee sat on the ground, and crossed his arms, saying, "I won't do it. I'm not fighting Storm for your entertainment." Storm turned and shot a blast of airbending at the Fire Princess. Azula dodged it, then shot a blast of lightning at the girl, knocking her down.

"NO!" Lee shouted.

Ozai, watching from nearby, turned to Lee and said, "Go, Project Shadow. Attack Azula, and defend Project Storm." Lee, all too happy to obey, launched himself toward Azula at a speed that would've made XLR8 from Ben 10 jealous. Azula turned to see a black fist smash into her face. She stumbled back, annoyed by the blow, but before she could recover, Lee started smashing her in the gut and legs with multiple fire attacks, leaving the waterbending moves for her face. Azula gasped in pain as a waterbending blade slashed across her cheek multiple times.

"STOP!" Ozai yelled when he realized what Lee was doing to Azula. Ignoring him, Lee tripped Azula, then jumped on her gut, pummeling her face and shoulders at a furious pace, without mercy. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flew through the air, striking the young boy.

Azula stood over the boy, spat and him and sneered, "Did you really think you could defy my father's orders?!" She walked over to where Storm lay. With an insane cackle, she loosed lightning bolt after lightning bolt into Storm's body, causing the girl to shriek loudly.

Lee weakly got to his feet and roared, "Leave her alone, Azula!" Azula ignored him and reached down, picking Storm up by the neck. She tossed her over to where the head doctor's aides were waiting.

"Take this trash to the Incinerator." As her wish was carried out, she turned to Lee, and with hatred burning in her eyes, she said, "Take this freak someplace where I don't have to see his ugly ass." Lee collapsed at that point, unable to stand any longer.

After a few hours, the young Dark Avatar woke up. He extended his senses, trying to detect Storm's energy. He couldn't sense any of it. He immediately knew that she was gone. Tears tried to spring up in his eyes, but he stifled them, thinking about how he could escape. He turned to his left, and noticed that he had been unintentionally laid next to the main generator that ran the lab. An idea came into the young boy's head. He mustered all the power he could, then shot a massive firebending blast at the generator, causing it to explode. Immediately, every light in the lab winked out, unable to sustain their light after such a power failure. Immediately, Lee used earthbending to escape through the walls of the lab. After he came to the surface just outside the volcano surrounding the Capital, he used Shadow-  
Warping to travel to the most deserted place he could find, the Western Air Temple. As soon as he arrived, he collapsed to the ground, and began to wail bitterly for his friend, Project Storm, as well as for his parents, and all the friends he would never see again . . . . . . .

**Nothing like a cliffhanger to keep a reader interested in a story. I used Google Translate to get the Japanese. Lee called the doctor an idiot, and his question to Storm was, "How did you get your abilities?" Lee's story as Lee is not complete. The next chapter, Hope Reborn, will explain how Lee chose the name Shadonus. Please review. The Undocumented Muse of the Shadows writes fastest when he feels encouraged. Until the next possible sighting, this is Darkest Nightmare's Dread, slowly fading into the shadows. . . . . . . .**


	8. Hope Reborn

**If you're wondering why you had to wait for so long, school is a bitch, and forces beyond my power are conspiring against me. When we last left Lee, he was allowing himself to pour out all the suffering, anger, and anguish that had built up in his system, as well as all the sadness that had come from Project Storm being taken away. Now, I will tell you what happened afterwards, how Lee came to take on the identity of Shadonus.**

**Chapter 8: Hope Reborn**

It had been two long months since the day Lee escaped the lab. Ever since then, he had done nothing but mourn Project Storm. (I never got to tell her . . . . .how much I loved her . . . . ), the young Dark Avatar moaned.

One day, as he was mourning, he heard a voice_. "Lee-kun . . . . . "_ the soft voice whispered. Lee looked around, wondering who it was, but seeing nobody.

"Who is it?" he called out.

"_Oh, Lee . . . . I thought you would know my voice . . . . . ."_

Realization came to Lee's face, and with a lump in his throat, he yelled, "Storm?" A figure appeared in front of him, as if stepping out from behind an invisible barrier. It was Storm, glowing like Princess Yue's spirit had, and sheer coincidence, had the same shoulderless white dress on.

"_It hurts me to see you so sad, Lee-kun . . . ._ " Storm whispered.

"You mean you're-"

"_Yes, my love,"_ Storm whispered. _"I am dead. However, I was guided by Avatar Yangchen to this world, so I could speak to you_."

"To . to speak to me . . ." Lee asked.

The young spirit nodded and said, _"Yes, to tell you something I was never able to tell you in life. . . . ." _Confused, Lee asked "What do you want to tell me? To not blame myself for your death?"

Storm shook her head, tears coming to her eyes. She looked up and said, _"I came to tell you to not dwell on my death. Instead, dwell on all the fun we had, training together. Eating together. Just enjoying being around each other." _She drew near to Lee, and whispered in his ear, _"and I also came to tell you that I love you."_

Lee tried to jump back in shock, but found that while she was talking to him, Storm had used earthbending to trap his feet. As soon as he pried one foot free of its prison, Lee was immediately distracted by Storm, the girl he had loved, kissing him right on the lips. For a moment, he wondered why she didn't phase through him, but then the answer came to him: Since they were both Shadow-Warpers, they could embrace spirits while still alive. After coming up with this answer, Lee closed his eyes, allowing himself to submerge in the sea of absolute pleasure Storm had steered him into. After an hour, the two pulled apart, a line of spit still linking their mouths_. "You cannot let the past keep you from going through the present, my love,"_ Storm whispered.

"I cannot let go of it completely," Lee said. Nodding, Storm started to fade.

"_My time is running short,"_ she explained. _"If you must, choose a new name, one that defines you."_

Lee said the first name that came into his head: "Shadonus."

Storm nodded and said, _"A fitting name for a fitting warrior . . . . Now, don't be afraid to love . . . . . ."_

"Are you sure?" The newly named Shadonus asked.

The spirit nodded and said, _"You deserve to be happy. There is no way for me to return to the human world, and you have the right as a human being to love a girl, and possibly marry her, if you wish . . . . . . . ."_ After this, the young girl vanished, never to be seen again.

Shadonus nodded in agreement. After confirming that he was alone, he uttered, "I swear, in the name and power of the mighty Avatars, that I will not let my past drag me down. I faced injustice in the lab. Now, I will fight for justice. This war between the nations is not my fight to participate in. I can sense that. My role is to strengthen the Avatar when he comes, never appearing before him, only giving him power when he needs it. After the war, I shall make myself known. The world shall know me as a fighter for freedom and justice, someone who wasn't afraid to dive into a hopeless battle to save an innocent person. So says I, Shadonus. The Dark Avatar. Dweller of the shadows and lover of Justice."

Two weeks later, Shadonus Shadow-Warped over to the Southern Air Temple. He knew of the ancient guru who lived there. (If there's anyone who can give me advice, it's that old man,) the young wanderer thought. When he arrived, he found he was in a small, plain room. There was a small fire in the middle, giving warmth and light to the room. Shadonus soon found the guru sitting against the wall, hands outward, warming them by the fire. His eyes were closed, giving the appearance of sleep, but Shadonus knew he was awake. "You can stay if you wish, young one," the guru said, opening his eyes.

"Thank you, old one," Shadonus replied, grateful that the old man didn't drive him away. The two sat there for what felt like hours, neither saying a word until the old man decided to break the silence.

"You have much sadness within your heart," the guru remarked. "Hush, no need to tell me. I see it like it was written on a book." He looked at the Dark Avatar for a while, and then, he said "There's something you need to know. Since your parents renounced the Earth Kingdom in an attempt to save their lives, a curse has hung over you. It goes something like this:

'Cursed to wander, cursed to roam.  
Cursed to never find a home,  
Until you finally find the one  
Who loves you deeply, whatever you've done.'

Your curse will be undone when you find the girl you truly love. She will be one who loves with her heart, not with her eyes," the guru explained.

Shadonus nodded and asked, "How did you know about my parents?"

"I saw it in a vision," the old man replied. "I also saw that you would come to me in search of advice."

Shadonus nodded and said, "I never should've doubted your wisdom, wise one."

The guru smiled lightly as the fire started to die down. "Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, no matter how it's taken. . . . . . ." the guru said, remembering the advice given to him by his mentor. Shadonus nodded, appreciating the wisdom, and Shadow-Warped around the world during the 100 Year War's final years. He assumed different forms in order to find the girl he loved, even gaining the affections/lust of Princess Azula. He had coldly turned her down before leaving. It was during this wandering that he heard about the Avatar's victory over the Fire Lord. A few months later, he had made up his mind. It was time for the Avatar to learn of his appearance. (And I know just how to get his attention . . . . . . . . ,) the Dark Avatar thought.

**-South Pole-**

"Almost there!" Hakoda shouted as the boats neared a line of icebergs indicating that they were a few miles away from the South Pole. The boats were full of Water Tribe soldiers eager to return home after a long, harsh war. Sokka was in the front boat, just behind his father. He had always thought his father was the coolest warrior there ever was, but recently, he saw a side he had known as a little kid: A kind, loving father who cared deeply for his children. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a dot of rapidly expanding red move toward them from the right. Hakoda noticed this also, and ordered the Waterbenders to halt the boats.

As the figure drew closer, the Southern Water Tribesmen noticed that the figure had jet black skin, like darkest night, or the darkness of the underground (Sokka knew that from personal experience). "Who are you?" Hakoda asked. The figure did not answer, but continued flying toward the tribesmen. "Where are you going?" Hakoda shouted.

"I'm going to see the Avatar!" the figure shouted.

"You're gonna need permission to see the Avatar, firecracker!" Sokka fired back.

"I need no permission," the figure yelled. One of the waterbenders in the boats closest to the oncoming figure tossed created some ice daggers with waterbending and threw them at the figure. To everyone's shock, the figure simply deflected the daggers. Sokka, scared by the mysterious figure's power, threw Boomerang at him. The specially designed piece of metal simply bounced off of him, and when Sokka threw his Space Sword at the figure (Shadonus, obviously), he simply grabbed the sword out of midair and sheathed it in a scabbard Sokka had discarded after Aang defeated the Fire Lord. "I grow weary of this battle," the Dark Avatar said as he summoned a massive wave with waterbending, overturning all the boats. No one was severely injured in the fight, and after they got on their boats, which had been righted, Shadonus yelled down, "Tell the Avatar that I will see him at Kyoshi Island, on the beach overlooking the water where Aang wrestled with the Unagi. Tell him, that he must bring along Toph, Katara, and Sokka. Suki, if you must." After this the Dark Avatar flew off in the direction he had come, leaving behind a stunned group of waterbenders . . . . . . .

**This is to segue directly to the part where Sokka alerts Aang to Shadonus' arrival in Plans Interrupted. I do hope that you, dear reader, enjoyed this chapter, because it officially ends the flashback that was started in The Past's Dark Future. I promise that unless Ares interferes (Damn you to Tartarus, you mythological fool!), then the final chapter of When Avatars Clash will be published. As for acknowledgements, I would like to thank Ronny214 for motivating me to finish this chapter. As for this story, read and review. Take as long as you need, but don't take too long . . . . . . . Hahahahahahahahahaha . . . HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. . . . hahahahahahaha . . . . . . . . .**


	9. OC summary

**This is a filler chapter to help explain my OCs a little more.**

**Shadonus:** Much of his origins are shrouded in mystery. What is known is that he was born in the Earth Kingdom as Lee, son of two Waterbenders who had fled the Northern Water Tribe in order to live in the Earth Kingdom, which was considered unshakeable (That last one might not be a word. So sue me.).

Kidnapped at a young age, Lee was forced to become Project Shadow. He played a part in Ultimate Blaze, an attempt by the Fire Nation to mass-produce their own version of the Avatar. Lee was one of two successfully altered people to be given the abilities of the Avatar. Because of the tampering with his DNA, Shadonus went from a light-skinned blonde to a dark-haired, dark-skinned person. After losing Project Storm, the other successful product of Ultimate Blaze, Lee escaped captivity and retreated to the Western Air Temple. After donning the name Shadonus, he became aware that until he found the girl he loved, he would be unable to find a home.

The only situations capable of producing visible fear on his face are situations where he's faced with the possibility of imprisonment by the Fire Nation or the possibility of losing his loved ones in a battle, possibly produced by his failure to save his parents. His story is covered in When Avatars Clash.

**His abilities include**: Using pure shadows to create weaponry, virtual immortality given to him by the corruption of his DNA, invincibility to conventional bending [including Bloodbending], teleportation by use of Shadow Warping, the power to use all 4 Elements, using shadows to cloak his enemies in impenetrable darkness, the ability to produce light, as well as the Avatar State. He is immune to damage from extreme heat and extreme cold, and feels no damage from such changes. Also invincible to conventional weaponry, spears included. Shadonus, like Aang, also possesses the Beacon ability, which allows the user to turn into Pure Light. The full powers of this ability are unknown.

His weaknesses: Hatred for the Fire Nation, deep distrust of (Former) Fire Lord Ozai's family, vulnerability to blades with dark runes, and fear of losing his loved ones. It's also believed that his anger combined with the Avatar State may unlock another, deeper forme of the Avatar State, or could turn him into a monster capable of destroying the world.

Likes: Toph, dark places, meditation, silence, victory.

Dislikes: Fire Nation, Ozai's family (except Zuko's mom Ursa), needles, small areas, science labs, losing his loved ones, memories of Storm's torment.

Relationships:

Shadonus/Toph: The two met on Kyoshi Island, where Shadonus gave Toph her sight. After that, Shadonus talked to Toph every night, before Toph went to sleep. After 6 months, a few hours after Aang and Katara's wedding, Toph confessed her love for Shadonus and kissed him on the lips. Fearing Toph would run away in embarrassment, Shadonus confessed that he, too, loved her. It is also believed that Toph is the only girl able to undo Shadonus' curse. Details of their further relationship may be found in When Avatars Clash.

Shadonus/Project Storm: Storm and Shadonus interacted frequently in the Fire Nation's secret lab, but Storm only confessed her love for Shadonus after she died, when she met him at the Western Air Temple. Shadonus cared a lot about her, even going so far as attacking Azula when she was wounding Storm.

Shadonus/Katara: They are allies, and Shadonus seems to have heard of Katara's impressive bending abilities, which he hinted at.

Shadonus/Aang: Despite being fellow Avatars (or possibly due to being fellow Avatars), Aang is Shadonus' closest friend besides Toph. Shadonus helped Aang unlock the Beacon ability in the Meetings and Wars chapter of When Avatars Clash. Shadonus seemed to know of Katara's engagement to Aang long before the wedding, itself, shown when Shadonus commented that Aang had made "a wise choice" in his wife.

Shadonus/Sokka: Despite the circumstances of their first meeting, Sokka and Shadonus are close allies, both known as Dark Swordsmen.

**Storm:** Born an earthbender, Storm (real name unknown) was kidnapped at a young age by the Fire Nation for use in the top secret project Ultimate Blaze. Despite her native element, she quickly mastered Airbending. She was fatally wounded in a battle with Azula, and was incinerated in a special oven used to dispose of unwanted, expired experiments. Because of this, her full abilities are unknown, though it's believed that she too possessed the Beacon ability. Also, unlike Shadonus, she retained her pale skin tone and brunette hair.

**Likes:** Lee/Shadonus, the Spirit World, sunshine, open spaces.

**Dislikes:** Azula, needles, waterbending, darkness, Koh.

**Powers:** She has the ability to bend all four elements. She also had the ability to bend metal, but she was slain before she could utilize this. It's not known if she can use the Beacon ability or Shadow-Warping.

**Weaknesses:** Unlike Shadonus, she is vulnerable to bending attacks, leading to her death at Azula's hands.

Relationships:

Storm/Shadonus: Storm had a crush on Shadonus the moment she saw him, but didn't know how to express it properly. After she died, she was led by Avatar Yangchen to the Western Air Temple, where she put Lee's mind at ease, kissed him, and told him she was alright with him loving another girl.

Storm/Yangchen: Avatar Yangchen taught Storm how to properly express her love for Lee.

Hope you all enjoyed my summary. As you may have noticed, When Avatars Clash will soon be complete. I am unsure as to what to write next. There is a poll on my profile where you (yes, YOU!) the reader, can vote on what I write next. Vote for what you want to see, and I will do my best to write it soon. Until the next possible sighting, this is Darkest Nightmare's Dread, slowly fading into the shadows . . . . .


	10. To Turn From The Past

**Greetings, dear readers. As I promised certain readers (They know who they are), there will be a lemon near the end: a Shadonus/Toph lemon. This is the last chapter of When Avatars Clash. Enjoy.**

**NOTE: The flashback is from Sorrow of the Shadows.**

**Previously, on Avatar:**

"I owe her much, too much for even a thousand Gold Pieces to pay off, and I hope to at least repay part of it by giving her someone she wants: myself."

Lao Beifong looked at the Dark Avatar, and after thinking for a few moments, turned to his wife and asked, "Poppy, do you believe this boy is worthy of courting our daughter?"

Poppy immediately replied, "Yes. I believe he is more than worthy." Turning to the Dark Avatar, she said, "You have my permission to court my daughter."

Bowing deeply, Shadonus replied with "Thank you very much, Mrs. Poppy Beifong-sama, and thank you very much, Mr. Lao Beifong-sama."

**Chapter 9: To Turn From The Past, Love The Present, And Enjoy The Future**

It had been two years since that talk, and for Toph, it had been two years too long. She sat in her long white dress, remembering the events that had occurred:

_**Flashback**_:

_(Wonder when Shadonus is going to come out,) Toph wondered. As if they had heard her thoughts, her parents and Shadonus walked into the room where she was waiting._

"_Is everything okay?" The young earthbender asked. "Of course," Lao said. Poppy nodded in agreement._

_Shadonus turned to Toph, a nervous expression on his face, and he said, "Your parents have given me permission to court you, Toph Beifong. However, I need your consent. May I have permission to court you, Ms. Toph Beifong?"_

_Toph looked into Shadonus' face, trying to find something—she didn't know what—but she found nervousness, some fear, and a little hope: Nervousness about the asking her a question that left him so open, fear that she would reject him, and hope that she would accept._

"_It's about time you asked," Toph replied. "Of course you have my permission."_

"_Thank you, Toph," Shadonus said, relief clear in his voice._

**End Flashback**

After that day, Shadonus waited twelve months to propose to Toph. When he did, he gave her a ring that he had carved out of solid Shadows. It had taken him seven straight weeks of work to complete. It wasn't extremely complex, nor were the shadows hard to bend into the desired shape, but this was the first time the Dark Avatar had ever attempted something like this, and he wanted only the best he could manage for his love: Toph. As she waited for her cue, Toph looked at the ring. It changed shape to fit the contours of her finger. It was jet black, only a shade lighter than Shadonus' skin, and just like the Dark Avatar, Toph found it to be strangely fascinating. The jewel in the middle had the symbols of the four nations carved on to it in stunning detail that would normally be seen only in a master jeweler's shop.

"Toph, it's time," a voice yelled, shocking the young earthbender out of her daydream.

"Coming, dad," Toph replied. Lao Beifong came into the room to take his daughter to the main room.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine. I'm just nervous," Toph replied.

Lao nodded, recalling his own nervousness at his own wedding day. "If it makes you feel any better," he whispered in Toph's ear, "Shadonus is more nervous than you."

"Really?" the young earthbender asked, surprised. "I don't know why he's so nervous. Even if he messed up, I'd still marry him."

"He knows," Lao replied, "but I actually had to give him a special tea to make him relax. He kept on pacing back and forth before the ceremony, phasing in and out of walls like a spirit. He just couldn't keep still."

Toph giggled at this, and with more than a little trepidation of her own, said "Well, let's get this over with."

The wedding hall was arranged like a traditional wedding, with mats and chairs for the guests to sit on. On every single one of those mats was a person of royalty or great fame from the Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, or Fire Nation (The Air Temple inhabitants had no royalty, so they were allowed to send Aang as a representative.) Aang had brought with him his wife Katara, as a representative of the Southern Water Tribe. Katara also brought along her young daughter Kiara, barely a year old. Toph looked around and saw all her friends: Sokka and Suki with their son Brock, Aang and Katara with Kiara, Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Queen Mai with their young daughter Flare, and other assorted friends she had invited, including the Hippo (Can't forget him), the Boulder, and even Master Piandao, who had helped Sokka make his Space Sword, was there for her wedding. Katara's waterbending master Pakku, who was also her grandfather, turned to the crowd and said:

"Friends and fellow benders from across the nations, we are gathered here to celebrate the union of two mighty benders, Toph Beifong and Shadonus." He turned to Toph and said, "Toph, do you take Shadonus to be your loving husband, to have and to hold, to love and obey, in sickness and in health, through thick and thin, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Toph said softly. When it was Shadonus' turn, he said clearly "I do." Turning to the crowd once more, the old waterbending master pronounced the couple husband and wife. Upon hearing this, too impatient to hear "You may kiss the bride," Toph kissed Shadonus passionately on the lips with suddenness that surprised everyone in the room.

Sokka recovered from his surprise first and started clapping, shouting, "Now, THAT's the Toph we know and love!" Soon, everyone in the room was on their feet clapping happily for the newlyweds. Hearing the applause, Shadonus and Toph pulled away, blushing furiously.

"NOW, LET THE MUSIC BEGIN!" General Iroh yelled, and the best band in the Earth Kingdom quickly struck up a light, cheery tune that the Air Nomads used to play at their weddings. Aang immediately started dancing, which was truly a sight to behold, considering he was in his Air Monk robes. Soon, everyone was dancing to the tune, even Shadonus, who was perfectly happy dancing with his new wife.

"So, are you happy with the wedding arrangements?" Shadonus whispered in Toph's ear.

"It's great," Toph whispered back, a tear of joy rolling down her face, "but I want to know what you think. Do you like it?"

After considering the question momentarily, "I'm enjoying myself a lot," the Dark Avatar replied.

After the dancing, everyone sat down for a fancy meal in the banquet hall of the Beifong estate, as had been agreed on by Shadonus and Lao Beifong. "How bout a speech, Dark Avatar?" someone yelled from within the crowd. Soon, everyone at the table was chanting: "SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH!" Soon, Shadonus realized that there was no other way out but to give a speech.

"All right!" the Dark Avatar shouted as he stood up. "I'll give a speech." He looked at Toph, smiled brightly, and turned to the audience at the table. "Well, it's certainly a shock to have something done like this: a wedding fit for a king, and because I was able to marry my love, Toph Beifong. I don't deserve such a fancy wedding."

"You deserve this wedding," Fire Lord Zuko spoke out, Mai nodding in agreement. "You've done so much for this family and for the world. You've earned this day. Enjoy it."

"Thank you, Fire Lord Zuko," Shadonus replied in a chillingly polite tone. Before his exile, Zuko had known about the project that had created Shadonus and Storm, but had never gone to the lab itself. However, Shadonus still bore some ill feelings toward Fire Lord Zuko because his lack of attempts to stop the constant torture the Dark Avatar endured, and also because of the torture Ozai and Azula had put him through. However, Ursa had known about the torture Shadonus endured, and often visited him in the lab, giving him special tea to numb the pain. She would sometimes whisper a comforting tune in his ear as he fell asleep at night, helping dispel the nightmares that tended to plague him. "I am glad to see you all here," the Dark Avatar continued. "I still don't find myself deserving such an elaborate ceremony, but for Toph's sake, I shall endure it." (Can't wait to get out of this hogmonkey suit,) he added in his mind. "I suppose I should tell you about how I gained these abilities of mine. It might help you understand me better."

Toph, not wanting her new husband to go over the painful memories he had from the lab, told him, "You don't have to if you don't want to."

Shadonus shook his head, and whispered, "I must. It's the only way . . . . . . ." He turned to the people and said in a solemn tone, "I'm about to tell you about how I came to be this powerful. . . . I was born to two waterbenders living within the Earth Kingdom as farmers. My name was Lee. When I was young, I was kidnapped by firebenders. They knocked me unconscious. The last thing I remember hearing was a high voice asking if I was a bender, and a deeper voice confirming that I wasn't. When I regained consciousness, I was in a metal cage, in a room full of metal cages. I saw many kids from the Earth Kingdom, but some were . . . . . . . grotesque in appearance, various experiments warping their features."

The young man shuddered at the memory, and then continued. "I was given injections of blood from different benders, starting with earthbender blood. When they gave me an injection of Azula's blood, I was filled with rage, and attacked the scientists who were conducting the experiment." This time, he chuckled softly, and said "You should've seen the look on Azula's face when I barely missed her hair."

Zuko chuckled at the thought of his sister attacked by this individual. "I would've paid serious Gold to see that."

Shadonus stared at Zuko until he was silent. "The airbender blood sample was harder to obtain, but they injected it into me," he continued. "Eventually, they allowed me to interact with another person with the same powers as me."

"Another product of Ultimate Blaze?" Fire Lord Zuko asked. Everyone in the room turned toward him. Realizing everyone was staring at him, Zuko explained "After the fall of Ba Sing Se, I was allowed back into the Fire Nation, as a prince. My father revealed many secrets to me, including Ultimate Blaze. Ultimate Blaze was an attempt by Fire Nation Scientists to make their own Avatar. Many methods were used in an attempt to do this, but the only technique that worked was the injection of benders' blood into the subject's own blood. My father told me the project had failed, with Storm being slain for insolence against the Fire Nation, and Project Shadow, the more powerful of the two, escaping capture and dying of natural causes shortly after."

"Died shortly after? Ha! Your father never told you the whole story, did he?" Shadonus said scornfully. "Very well. I'll tell you what your father never did. Fire Lord Ozai, and Princess Azula, may she rest in pieces, tried to force us, Storm and I, into a sort of Agni Kai, except with the other 3 elements being used. When we refused, Azula attacked Storm. I think Ozai ordered me to protect Storm, but if he did, I never noticed. I was beside myself with rage. It took every last bit of willpower to not go Avatar State."

"Well, why didn't you go Glowing Eyes?" Ty Lee asked. Mai glared at her friend, but Shadonus silenced her with his own glare.

"Ty Lee's question is a reasonable one. Why didn't I go Avatar State, or Glowing Eyes, as she says?" The Dark Avatar paced back and forth for a few moments before speaking again: "I didn't go Avatar State because I sensed at the time that if I did, I would potentially lose control of myself in the depths of my rage. Storm was my only friend at the lab, other than Fire Lady Ursa, and I couldn't stand to see her suffer. I attacked Azula viciously, striking with barely controlled fury. I was so angry and so driven, I didn't allow her the opportunity at any time to strike back." Shadonus growled under his breath and spat out, "I would've severely wounded her if Ozai hadn't so kind as to give me a shocking experience." Anger was so present in his voice and on his face that even Sokka didn't laugh.

After taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down, Shadonus continued. "After that, Azula fatally shocked Storm, and ordered some aides to take her to the Incinerator, where they dispose of dead experiments. I passed out after that, unable to fight any longer. After I came woke up, I knew Storm was dead. I escaped that filthy place and fled to the Western Air Temple. After grieving for Storm for many days, I sensed a spirit nearby. It was Storm, guided to the Temple by Avatar Yangchen. She told me that I shouldn't dwell on her death, but instead, dwell on the fun we had together. Then, after she said that, she confessed her love to me and kissed me. After that, she told me to try and let go of the past, and told me that a new name might help. I took my science experiment designation, Shadow, and made it into Shadonus, my current name. Before she left me, she told me it was okay to find a living girl to love," he looked at Toph with a brilliant smile on his face, "and possibly marry her. After that, I swore in the name and power of the Avatars, that I would fight for justice and enable the Avatar to do so. After meditating at the Western Air Temple, I went journeyed to the Southern Air Temple."

"To visit the guru?" Aang inquired.

"Yes, Avatar." Shadonus replied. "I figured that if anyone could help me, it would be him. When I got to the Southern Air Temple, the guru wasn't surprised by my appearance at all, and he even invited me to sit by the fire with him. After a while, he turned to me, and told me that because of my parent's attempt to renounce the Earth Kingdom in order to save their lives, I was cursed. The curse went like this:

'Cursed to wander, cursed to roam.

Cursed to never find a home,

Until you finally find the one

Who loves you deeply, whatever you've done.'

He also told me that my curse would be undone by a girl who loved with her heart, not with her eyes." He grabbed Toph's hand, pulled her to her feet and said, "Toph loved with her heart, and she still does. She knows my past, yet she loves me deeply. My curse is broken. My heart is free. And it's all thanks to you, Toph. All thanks to you." Any further words from the Dark Avatar were choked off by Toph's lips slammed against his.

As the two sank back into their chairs, Lao said some words of how he was indebted to Shadonus helping his daughter so much, and being such help to the Beifongs. After that, the feast began. There was food enough for everyone, even some vegetarian options for Aang and any others present who didn't want to eat meat. The tea there was the finest in the world, hand-brewed by Iroh himself. As they feasted, many people had a chance to talk to the Dark Avatar. When Zuko managed to get Shadonus attention, which wasn't easy because of all the other people trying to talk to him, he pulled him aside and said, "When I returned to the Fire Nation after my exile, Azula told me that she had found a dark-skinned firebender who seemed to be familiar to her. She said that she had tried to bring him to the palace, promising him riches if he would follow her. Apparently, he turned her down. Was that you?"

Shadonus shuddered and replied, "No offense, Fire Lord Zuko, but even if your sister had promised me the finest food and clothing, I would've refused her. There was no excuse for her behavior when she was alive. She actually tried to seduce me when she promised me cash, which is why I turned her down. I masked my hatred of her quite well, but even so, it was hard for me to resist taking a swing at her."

The Fire Lord chuckled at this. "Don't worry, Dark Avatar," he replied. "I never enjoyed my sister's presence. When you told me you needed her for the Crescent Battle, I gave you the order to kill her, should she prove treacherous, because I knew you suffered at her hands, and you would be least likely to let your hatred cloud your judgment on the battlefield."

After a few more hours of dancing, food, and music, the guests began to retire to their quarters for the night. Toph turned to go to her room, but Shadonus grabbed her wrist before she could go far. "I thought it would be nice if we could go somewhere for our honeymoon."

"What do you have in mind?" Toph asked.

"Ember Island, in two days." Toph agreed, knowing he had said "two days" to give her the chance to pack some stuff up, and while he courted her, he told her about a high-quality cabin he had bought there.

After two days, Shadonus Shadow-Warped himself, Toph, and all their stuff to the cabin. After unpacking their stuff, the young couple enjoyed a quick breakfast together. After a few hours, a thought sprang into Toph's mind. A naughty thought. "Hey Shadonus. Wanna go swimming?" she asked, with an innocent tone to her voice.

Shadonus nodded and replied, "Sure. I'd love to go swimming with you, Toph." Toph went up to their room to change. After a few minutes, "I'm ready," Toph called. Shadonus walked to the room, already removing his shirt, revealing the scars of the lab abuse that mixed with the burn-like scars from the dark magic knives that had pierced him in the Crescent Battle. As soon as he stepped into the room, he saw something that he'd never seen before: Toph wearing a light green two-piece swimsuit.

"Like what you see?" Toph asked, a slightly lusty tone in her voice. Shadonus, lost for words for the first time since he gained his Avatarian abilities, could only nod.

"Y – You're s so beautiful," the Dark Avatar managed to stutter. Giggling at his nervousness, Toph looked at the ground with a nervous blush on her face, and admitted, "This is the first time anyone's been stunned by my beauty." She turned around and said, "Hey, Shadonus. Think you could help me get this bra off? It's a little tight."

_**LEMON ALERT! **_

Shadonus was slightly puzzled by this. He knew the strap was within Toph's reach, but sensing the desire pouring off of her, he complied, undoing the small piece of cloth that kept the bra up. Toph turned around, resisting the urge to hide her small breasts with her hands. She blushed deeply when she saw Shadonus looking at her. "Don't stare like that. I know I'm not the biggest on the block, but it's embarrassing . . . ." Toph whispered softly.

Shadonus shrugged, and said "I married you for your heart. Your heart is beautiful, which by default makes your body beautiful as well."

Her blush increasing from the compliment, "You . . . can touch them if you want to, but be gentle . . . ." Toph whispered. Shadonus reached forward, and massaged the small breasts with a softness and gentleness that would've put a masseuse to shame, being sure to give extra attention to the small pink nipples. Toph couldn't care less if he had the skill of a masseuse or not. The feeling of someone touching her breasts was, to put it simply, unbelievable. Having Shadonus be the one to do it magnified the pleasure. She felt like nothing else could feel better. She was wrong. "Y-You can touch m-my pussy, if you want," she managed to mutter through the pleasure. Her wish was quickly granted, indicated by the soft brush of her panties against her hairless legs, and an immediate wave of pleasure flowing from her lower area. She looked down, and was shocked to see that Shadonus had his whole hand inside her.

"Don't worry, honey," Shadonus whispered. "I'm able to manipulate the size of various parts of my body. I shrank my hand down to try and give you maximum pleasure." He gave her a long, passionate kiss, and whispered, "I just want to make this pleasurable for the both of us." He pulled his hand out, allowing Toph to recover from the orgasm she had during the kiss.

"Don't scare me like that," Toph admonished. Falling to her knees, she began to pull down Shadonus' pants. "Bout time to see what you have to offer."

Toph had been told about the general shape of a penis, but had never seen or felt one. She was understandably astonished when she saw Shadonus' penis standing erect before her. It was 13 inches long, as dark as the rest of Shadonus, and so straight that it shamed any spear ever made. "Wow, Shad," Toph whispered. "You're so big. You look good. Hope you taste good, too." Using the instruction Katara had told her, she began by stroking the large black spear, causing Shadonus to moan softly. "Well, well, well. It appears I found your weakness," Toph whispered before starting to suck on the dick. Immediately, she felt a flood of warm fluid stream forth. She barely managed to not choke on the strange, salty liquid, and swallowed every last drop. "Now, that's a nice flavor," the newlywed earthbender whispered. "I might start drinking it more often."

Gently tossing Toph onto the bed, Shadonus positioned his dick in front of Toph's entrance. "Hey, be more gentle . . . . " Toph muttered.

"You wanna do it?" the Dark Avatar whispered.

"Yeah," Toph nervously whispered. "It's my first time, so it's gonna hurt for a bit."

"I know," Shadonus softly replied. "Your mother told me about a girl's first time." He looked away as if embarrassed. When he turned back, he said "If you want, I can eliminate your pain completely."

Toph shook her head quickly, and replied, "I want to feel the pain. I want to feel my virginity break and bleed out of me." In a stronger voice, she added "But that's no reason to be all soft and slow. Give it to me rough." Nodding, Shadonus slowly shoved his length into Toph's vagina. After coming to her wall, he made a small twitch with his hips to force the head through the wall. Toph yelped in pain, feeling a couple tears fall from her eyes as she felt her virginity bleed away. Shadonus quickly kissed away the tears, whispering soothing words into her ears. After waiting a few minutes to allow Toph to get used to the feel of his dick within her inner tunnel, Shadonus pulled his penis out so that only the head was in, then slammed his full length into her. As he repeated the process, Toph growled, "I said, give it to me rough!" Complying, Shadonus began banging her harder and faster. "Oh, Shad . . . . . . . . feels . . . . so . . . good. . . . ." the earthbender girl managed to mutter. After a few minutes, half-shouting, Toph yelled, "I . . . . want to . . . . . have your child, SHAD!" Shadonus nodded, and continued moving in and out of her, enjoying the wetness that was cradling and squeezing his length. It only took a few minutes for him to come in her pussy, filling her uterus with the flood of whitish liquid. The flood of warm liquid in her womb caused Toph to come for the second time that day.

As the young couple lay in bed, trying to get their breath back, Toph looked over at the open window. "Hey, Shad. . . Did you . . . . alter the size of your . . . . . . thing . . . ."

"Nope," her husband replied with a chuckle. "That's how big I can get without manipulating my body shape. I felt you would prefer me giving you the real deal."

After a few minutes, Toph stood up, and put her green bikini-like swimsuit back on. "C'mon," she yelled to Shadonus. "Those waters ain't gonna swim themselves!" Laughing out loud, Shadonus pulled on his own swimsuit, and ran out to join his new wife in a day of swimming and fun in the sand. Little did they know there was trouble brewing . . . . . . . .

_**Comet Wreckage, SEGA Universe**_

A few months later, in a galaxy far, far away, an evil villain made his move. He had attempted to take over the world with his army, but his son, his temporary lieutenant, had rebelled against him. He was assumed dead, but had survived. Now, he plotted his revenge.

"SHADOW TRANSPORTUS JUTSU, MASTER LEVEL!" The figure shouted. As a small portal opened to the universe he wished to examine, the ancient villain scanned the powers of the inhabitants. "Hmm . . . . ," he muttered. "These are very interesting life formes, for humans. . . ." Finally, he made his choice, selecting a mighty individual with a high power level (IT'S OVER 9,000!), and completing the attack, pulled the unfortunate victim to his world. "As I promised, Shadow, this isn't over. The Black Arms . . . will rise again . . . . . . ."

**And so ends When Avatars Clash. Now, I shall acknowledge those who helped along the way. CharlieFibrosis: Thanks for giving me advice.**

**Cheekster1: I hope you like the paragraphing.**

**WingedVampireGirl: Thank you for the inspiration in Sorrow of the Shadows. You're always full of advice and ideas. Never stop writing.**

**Also, thank you, shadowrose6x, for your help in the Toph/Shadonus lemon scene. You were of great help.**

**To those who didn't review, but read, many thanks for staying with this story.**

**The (IT'S OVER 9,000!) line is an old Dragon Ball joke. Ha ha.**

**The meaning from the title is this: (To Turn From The Past): Shadonus has put his past behind himself. (Love The Present): Shadonus' curse has become undone, and he's married Toph Beifong. (Enjoy The Future): Shadonus anticipates a long, happy life with his new wife, and with their son (:SPOILER ALERT:)**

**Shadow Transportus Jutsu, Master Level is a move that I came up with on my own. As with the original Shadow Transportus Jutsu, the user may teleport the most powerful beings of another dimension to theirs. This jutsu allows the user to read a being's power level (IT'S OVER 9000!), and select the person or being they wish to teleport. Reduces the user's chakra (May be referred to as Life Force in non-Naruto fanfics) to almost fatal levels, but allows the user to fade into the shadows of their dark place, allowing them to evade capture while they heal. Takes 5 hours to heal per person teleported, and can only be used once every FOUR years, on the night of a New Moon. At least one person may be chosen at a time, with the upper limit at 10.**

**The part at the end is a teaser for a possible sequel. . . . . . I might or might not write it. You, yes YOU, can decide whether or not I make the sequel. More reviews would be nice, along with some votes on my poll for advice in the sequel. This is Darkest Nightmare's Dread, slowly fading into the shadows from where I came . . . . . . . . . .**


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